Kings’ Joel Armia returns to lineup after missing five games
A versatile center is set to return to the lineup.
When speaking to the media, Los Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller confirmed that forward Joel Armia will be back in the lineup on Friday night, when the team hosts the Anaheim Ducks.
Joel Armia will play tonight versus Anaheim! Look for him on a line with Quinton Byfield & Warren Foegele + a huge boost for the PK.
Jim Hiller on 4⃣0⃣ – "Army's been one of our best penalty killers, arguably our best penalty-killing forward. We've missed him there no question." https://t.co/HL4smvxfVZ
Armia has been out of action since suffering an upper-body injury against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 5. In the five games he’s missed, the Kings have struggled, winning just one of their past five games, going 1-2-2 over that span.
Hiller noted how Armia’s absence affected the team’s performance, especially on special teams.
“[Armia’s] been one of our best penalty killers, arguably our best penalty-killing forward,” Hiller said. “We’ve missed him there, no question.”
Armia had appeared in each of Los Angeles’ first 41 games of the season. He scored nine goals and seven assists for 16 points, with his last tally coming against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 29. Despite being a secondary scoring threat, the 32-year-old sits ninth on the team in points.
The Finnish centerman came to Hollywood after spending the past seven seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. There, he was a key part of the Habs’ making it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs three times, including the team’s magical run to the final in 2021. Armia signed a two-year contract with the Kings, with the deal carrying an AAV of $2.5 million through the 2026-27 season.
In 627 regular-season games in the NHL, Armia has scored 112 goals and 111 assists for 223 points, wth another 17 points in 49 postseason games.
The Kings (19-16-11) sit fifth in the Pacific Division, two points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.