Joel Armia
Finnish winger drafted 16th overall by Buffalo Sabres in 2011.
Joel Armia (born 31 May 1993) is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 16th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2011 NHL entry draft and has also played for Porin Ässät of the SM-liiga, the Winnipeg Jets, and the Montreal Canadiens.
Armia first made a name for himself in Finland’s junior ranks. During the 2008–09 season, he led the U16 SM-sarja in goals with 27, earning the Keijo Kuusela award. The following year, he put up 15 goals and six assists in 27 games for Ässät’s U20 team. Promoted to the senior Ässät squad at age 17 during the 2010–11 season, he led all SM-liiga rookies in goals with 18, adding 11 assists in the regular season and two goals in five playoff games. Scouts and media alike praised his natural goal-scoring touch and puck possession skills, with one former Sabres scout calling him a pure skill player. That June, the Sabres took him 16th overall in the NHL draft, while Severstal Cherepovets selected him 14th in the KHL Junior Draft. Armia stayed with Ässät on loan after signing an entry-level contract with Buffalo in June 2012. In 2012–13, he recorded 19 goals and 14 assists in 47 regular-season games, then added three goals and five assists in 16 playoff contests to help Ässät win the Kanada-malja championship.
Armia began his North American career with the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, in 2013–14, notching seven goals and 20 assists. He also scored once in the 2013 Spengler Cup. After being recalled from Rochester, he made his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on 23 December 2014, but was returned to the AHL before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets on 11 February 2015. Assigned to the St. John’s Ice Caps to finish that season, he started the next year with the Jets’ new AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, where he was used primarily on the penalty kill. Recalled later in the season, he scored his first NHL goal against Martin Jones in a 4–1 win over the San Jose Sharks on 2 January 2016. His first full NHL season, 2016–17, was hampered by early struggles and a 24-game absence due to injury, but he improved upon returning while playing on a line with Adam Lowry and Shawn Matthias (later replaced by Andrew Copp). The 2017–18 season saw him set career highs with 12 goals and 29 points in 79 games.
- Born
- 31 May 1993
- Position
- Winger
- Nhl draft
- 2011, first round (16th overall) by Buffalo Sabres
- Nhl debut
- 23 December 2014 against Detroit Red Wings
- First nhl goal
- 2 January 2016 against Martin Jones
- Career high goals season
- 17 (2023–24)
- Current team
- Los Angeles Kings
Lore & Background
Armia began his professional career with Porin Ässät in the SM-liiga, where he was the highest goal-scorer among rookies in his debut season with 18 goals. He helped Ässät win the Kanada-malja championship in 2012–13, recording three goals and five assists in 16 playoff games. After signing an entry-level contract with the Sabres in June 2012, he spent time with their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, before making his NHL debut on 23 December 2014. He was traded to the Winnipeg Jets on 11 February 2015.
With the Jets, Armia scored his first NHL goal on 2 January 2016 and established career highs of 12 goals and 29 points in the 2017–18 season. He was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on 30 June 2018. In Montreal, he recorded his first NHL hat-trick on 1 March 2019 and reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021, scoring five goals and three assists during the run. During the 2023–24 season, he was placed on waivers and assigned to the AHL's Laval Rocket, but later returned to set a personal best of 17 goals and was named the Canadiens' candidate for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
Armia registered his 100th NHL goal on 16 January 2025 and his 100th assist (200th point) on 21 January 2025. He signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings on 1 July 2025 as an unrestricted free agent.
Reader's Guide
Joel Armia's career illustrates a trajectory from a highly touted Finnish prospect to a reliable NHL forward. Drafted 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2011, he was considered one of the most talented players of his age group, noted for his natural goal-scoring prowess and puck possession abilities. His development included a loan back to Porin Ässät, where he won a Finnish championship before transitioning to North America. Though his early NHL years involved AHL assignments and a trade to Winnipeg, Armia gradually established himself, particularly with the Montreal Canadiens, where he became a versatile winger capable of penalty-killing and scoring in key moments. His 2021 playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals and his 2023–24 season, in which he overcame a demotion to the AHL to post a career-high 17 goals, highlight his resilience. Internationally, Armia represented Finland at multiple junior levels and later at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, where he scored the game-winning goal in the semifinal. His signing with the Los Angeles Kings in 2025 marks the latest chapter in a career defined by steady production and adaptability.
Did You Know?
- Armia was the highest goal-scoring player of the U16 SM-sarja in 2008–09, winning the Keijo Kuusela award.
- He scored the fastest two goals by one team with Max Domi on 1 November 2018, clinching a win with an empty-net goal two seconds after Domi's goal.
- Armia was selected 14th overall by Severstal Cherepovets in the 2011 KHL Junior Draft.
- He scored his 100th NHL goal on 16 January 2025 and his 200th NHL point on 21 January 2025.
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