Amerks can use a "pissed off" Joel Armia

Sabres prospect and Rochester Americans RW Joel Armia seems to be liking the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs.

Through six games he has three goals and six points, tied for the league lead in both categories amongst rookies.

Within those leaders, though, he has one thing they do not, a fighting major.

Although it wasn't duel of players throwing haymakers until exhausted (as evidenced by the lack of a video on hockeyfights.com,) the fact that he showed some quantifiable emotion in Game-3 vs. the Chicago Wolves 36 yr. old Joe Corvo is worth noting.

Or should it?


Armia came over to North America this season after playing pro hockey in his native Finland. Last season he helped his hometown Assat Pori to their third SM-ligga championship in franchise history.

As he was ready to begin the season with Rochester, the book on Armia was a study in extremes. There were times within a game where he'd use his impeccable puck skills and deft shooting touch to take over a game. Conversely, there were times that he would disappear.

'He’s big and tall but surprisingly mobile for a player of his size,’ NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb told NHL.com before the 2011 Draft. ‘He’s a sniper with a good selection of shots. You might have to look for him during some shifts, but then, suddenly, he scores the winner. He has a very good feel for the game and moving the puck well with his linemates. He has a heavy wrist shot that he gets off quickly and is always looking for the empty spots on the ice.”--via thehockeywriters

Kris Baker of sabresprospects.com loved the pick by the Sabres (2011, No. 16 overall) saying, "We said we wanted skill at forward, and the Sabres certainly delivered with a compelling package. Let's not fool ourselves though. Armia is here to score goals, and this was an excellent pick by the Sabres at #16."

Yeah he always had the skill and he showed last season in Finland that he can produce in the playoffs (16g, 3g, 5a,) but to have Amerks coach Chadd Cassidy say that Armia likes the rough stuff is something that no one ever mentioned.

Said Cassidy after the Amerks series-tying 7-2 win at the Chicago Wolves, "He's not even remotely intimidated and he hasn't backed down a bit. The more physical they get, the more physical he gets. He seems to thrive on it."

And here's his post-game interview with Amerks broadcaster Don Stevens:



Big welt on his cheek, some redness on the schnoz and Armia chuckles while talking about the playoffs being "a lot tougher game" and opponents "trying to run you over."

When I asked Baker a couple days ago whether fellow countryman Rasmus Ristolainen was helping Armia step up his game, Baker replied that "Armia has always done well when pissed off about something. He's good when he's engaged."

At 4 PM today, the Amerks hope Armia is "pissed off" at the possibility of going home and "engaged" to the point where he can take over Game-5 and help send Rochester to the next round.