ST. LOUIS | Joel Armia will never be the most talkative of athletes. He could have been a star player at Make Me a Drawing or MiMéMo.
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Monday, after the Canadian's training, he summed up, in just 75 seconds, the joy he had to return to training, his impressions of the Habs' start to the season and his appreciation of Juraj Slafkovsky's game.
"It was nice to come back to the game on Saturday," Armia said, refusing to lift the lid on the injury that has forced him out of action since the start of the campaign.
A shot from Norris
According to some video footage, he was injured when he received an accidental stick from Josh Norris during the Oct. 4 preseason game at the Bell Center against the Senators.
It is therefore from the bridge that he attended the first eight games of the Habs. A start to the season to which the Habs added a victory on Saturday, bringing their record to 5-4-0.
Let's say that no one expected this kind of departure. Except the main actors, including Armia, of course.
"It doesn't surprise me at all, because we have a good team," Armia said. I love everything about this team. It's a good group of players. There are hard-working, skilful players. A little bit of everything. »
A gradual return
Et Slafkovsky?
"He's a very good player. »
For this return to the game, the great Finn walked the ice for 17 min 7 s. He got a presence on one of the Blues' two power plays, finding himself on the ice for Jordan Kyrou's second goal of the night.
We can speak of a successful gradual return for the 29-year-old striker.
"I liked his first game. Army is a guy with a big frame and several skills. You can trust him, said Martin St-Louis. In addition, he almost scored a goal in the third period. »
Joel Edmundson was still at his post, decked out in a navy blue sweater that shielded him from all contact. No more details have circulated on the state of health of the defender, injured in the lower back since the very beginning of training camp.
