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New Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson has high praise for Joel Armia, the right-winger the team acquired from the Winnipeg Jets last month.

“I love the trade for Joel Armia,” Richardson said when he met with the media in Brossard Monday after being named the Canadiens’ new assistant coach in charge of the defence.

Richardson spent last season as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and told management there that Armia was a player they should keep an eye on. Previously, Richardson spent four seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators and remembered being impressed by Armia when the forward was playing for the Rochester Americans.