Playing Career
Armstrong 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 campaign, in which he played 47 games tallying 40 points (16G, 24A) and was a team-high plus-15.
Armstrong 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. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Armstrong avoided an arbitration hearing, in 2006–2007 off-season, by re-signing him to two year deal that paid US$1.2 million annually.
Armstrong became very close friends with former teammate Sidney Crosby while playing for the Penguins.
He 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.
Pittsburgh traded Armstrong on February 26, 2008 to the Atlanta Thrashers along with Angelo Esposito, Erik Christensen, and a first round pick in exchange for Marián Hossa and Pascal Dupuis. He then 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. He served as one of the team's alternate captains during the 2009–10 season.
On July 1, 2010, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Toronto Maple Leafs for $3 million per year for three years. With his 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, Armstrong was signed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens.
Read more about this topic: Colby Armstrong
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