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Colby Armstrong
CArmstrong
Born November 23, 1982 (1982-11-23) (age 41)
Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
SHL team
Former teams
Växjö Lakers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Atlanta Thrashers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Montreal Canadiens
National team Flag of Canada Canada
NHL Draft 21st overall, 2001
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 2002–present

Colby Armstrong (born Colby Joseph Armstrong on November 23, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

He previously enjoyed a 8 year career in the National Hockey League. Colby's younger brother Riley Armstrong also played in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks.

Playing Career[]

Colby was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft as the 21st pick overall.

In the 2005–06 season, he made his NHL debut and had a superb rookie season in which he played 47 games tallying 40 points (16G, 24A) and was a team-high plus-15.

Colby had three overtime goals for the Penguins in the 2006–07 season, beating Kari Lehtonen of the Atlanta Thrashers, Ed Belfour of the Florida Panthers, and Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers.

In the 2006-07 off-season, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colby avoided an arbitration hearing by re-signing him to two-year deal that paid US$1.2 million annually.

While playing for the Penguins, Colby became very close friends with former teammate Sidney Crosby.

Colby was a member of the 2007 Canadian IIHF World Championship-winning team. His only goal of the tournament was the game-winning goal in the gold medal game against Finland in Moscow, which Canada won 4–2.

On February 26, 2008, Pittsburgh traded him to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Angelo Esposito, Erik Christensen and a first round pick in exchange for Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis.

Then, Colby scored 11 points in 18 games to finish out the 2007–08 season with the Thrashers.

On July 16, 2009, he re-signed with the Thrashers to a one-year $2.4 million contract. Colby served as one of the team's alternate captains during the 2009–10 season.

On July 1, 2010, Colby signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs for $3 million per year for three years.

With Colby's first two seasons largely affected by injury and inconsistent play, on June 30, 2012, he was bought out by the Maple Leafs from his final season of his contract.

With the opening of free agency the next day on July 1, 2012, he was signed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

During the lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Colby predominately played on the fourth line as a part of a revitalised Canadiens team, contributing with just five points in 37 games to help qualify for the playoffs.

On July 27, 2013, he left the NHL as a free agent and signed his first European contract with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League.

Career Statistics[]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1998–99 Saskatoon Blazers SMHL 33 21 19 40 103
1998–99 Red Deer Rebels WHL 1 0 1 1 0
1999–00 Red Deer Rebels WHL 68 13 25 38 122 2 0 1 1 11
2000–01 Red Deer Rebels WHL 72 36 42 78 156 21 6 6 12 29
2001–02 Red Deer Rebels WHL 64 27 41 68 115 23 6 10 16 22
2002–03 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 73 7 11 18 76 3 0 0 0 4
2003–04 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 67 10 17 27 71 24 3 1 4 45
2004–05 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 80 18 37 55 89 10 4 2 6 14
2005–06 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 47 16 24 40 58
2005–06 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 31 11 18 29 44
2006–07 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 80 12 22 34 67 5 0 1 1 11
2007–08 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 54 9 15 24 50
2007–08 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 18 4 7 11 6
2008–09 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 82 22 18 40 75
2009–10 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 79 15 14 29 61
2010–11 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 50 8 15 23 61
2011–12 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 29 1 2 3 9
2012–13 Montreal Canadiens NHL 37 2 3 5 12 4 0 0 0 15
NHL totals 476 89 120 209 376 9 0 1 1 26

Career Transactions[]

  • June 23, 2001: Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first-round (#21 overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
  • August 12, 2005: Re-signed by Pittsburgh Penguins
  • July 21, 2006: Re-signed by Pittsburgh Penguins to a 1-year contract.
  • July 12, 2007: Re-signed Pittsburgh Penguins to a two-year/$2.4 million contract.
  • February 26, 2008: Pittsburgh Penguins traded Colby, Angelo Esposito, Erik Christensen and a 2008 first-round pick (#29, Daultan Leveille) to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis.
  • July 16, 2009: Re-signed by Atlanta Thrashers.
  • July 1, 2010: Toronto Maple Leafs signed him as an unrestricted free agent to a 3-year contract.
  • July 1, 2012: Toronto Maple Leafs bought out his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.
  • July 1, 2012: The Montreal Canadiens signed him as an unrestricted free agent to a 1-year contract.

Personal Life[]

Colby grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in the city's northeastern neighborhood of Erindale where he continues to reside in the off-season.

As a child, he was a figure skater. Colby played youth hockey with the Saskatoon Red Wings and the Saskatoon Blazers.

Colby (along with Los Angeles Kings forward Jarret Stoll and Philadelphia Flyers brothers Brayden & Luke Schenn) attended St. Joseph High School in Saskatoon.

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