Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia has been placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol and won't travel with the team for the start of the Stanley Cup final on Monday against the Lightning in Tampa, Fla.

General manager Marc Bergevin made the announcement after Armia was not at practice in Montreal before the Canadiens travelled to play the Lightning.

Game 1 of the final goes Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

A player on the protocol list has not necessarily tested positive for COVID-19. Players who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive, for example, are also on the list.

Armia spent 19 days in the protocol from March 22 to April 9.

Lehkonen OT winner sends Canadiens Stanley Cup bound

Artturi Lehkonen's first point of the series is the Game 6 clinching goal as the Habs head to the Stanley Cup final.

The Finnish forward is having a productive post-season, posting career highs with five goals and eight points in 17 playoff games.

Dominique Ducharme eyes return to Canadiens bench in Game 3 of Stanley Cup final

Montreal Canadiens interim head coach Dominique Ducharme, who tested positive for COVID-19 during the team's semifinal series against Vegas, is targeting a return for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Canadiens interim head coach Dominique Ducharme, left, expects to return to the bench when the Stanley Cup final shifts to Montreal from Tampa, Fla. The 48-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 in the team’s previous series against Vegas.

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'We're not satisfied': Canadiens enjoy improbable, fairy-tale run to Stanley Cup final

In a season where the Montreal Canadiens fired their head coach, battled a COVID-19 outbreak and narrowly qualified for the playoffs, they knocked out the Las Vegas Golden Knights with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 6 to close out their Stanley Cup semifinal on St-Jean-Baptiste Day.

Montreal Canadiens players pose with the Clarence S. Campbell trophy on Thursday after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights to advance to the Stanley Cup final.

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Lehkonen strikes in OT to send Canadiens to 1st Stanley Cup final since 1993

The Montreal Canadiens are headed back to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1993 — the last time the franchise lifted hockey's holy grail. Montreal defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime during Thursday's Game 6.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner reacts after conceding the game-winning overtime goal to Artturi Lehkonen during the Montreal Canadians 3-2 win on Thursday.

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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner reacts after conceding the game-winning overtime goal to Artturi Lehkonen during the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 win on Thursday.

The Canadiens are also without interim coach Dominique Ducharme, who remains in isolation since testing positive for COVID-19 on June 18.

Assistant coach Luke Richardson has taken over bench duties, with Ducharme not scheduled to return until the Canadiens host Game 3 on Friday.

All about the team play

Montreal Canadiens forward from 1989-94 Stéphan Lebeau says they may be underdogs but the Habs' level of play as a team in these playoffs is what's most striking, and it reminds him of his 1993 team.

Canadiens forward Joel Armia who has a career-high five goals and eight points in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, is in NHL COVID-19 protocol and will not travel with the team ahead of Monday night's Cup final opener against the Lightning in Tampa, Fla.

Joel Armia, Canadiens forward, in COVID-19 protocol on eve of Stanley Cup final

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