You know your career is in shambles

when your coach believes (and is correct) that a career journeyman fourth liner in Mathieu Darche is a better option on a late power play/empty net situation than you are when the you is a top 10 draft pick.

Tonight, Martin decided he had had enough of 46's lack of effort and sat him on his azzzzzzzzz while we were down a goal.  I know 46 has his legion of fans who always find fault with those finding fault with their boy.  After all, at first he just had to adjust to North America, then it was he was playing on the fourth line, then it was the coach, then it was the coach who changed his linemates, then it was,,,,, you get the point.

The simple fact is, he was a top 10 draft pick seven years ago and he has only shown a few glimpses of the skill he has.  When he shows us those glimpses, he can be dominant but he is like dating that really hot supermodel who only wants sex once a year.  Yeah that one time might be awesome but it just isn't enough so you go to a less sexy model who actually enjoys having you more often.

Right now, 46 is no longer working in Montreal.  One would have thought he would try harder this year given it is a contract year but who knows, maybe he already has his bags packed for the KHL. Oh I guarantee he will have a good game in the next month and his fans will say, see look how good he is while conveniently forgetting he did little in the playoffs last year after his hattrick in game two against the Capitals and has done very little since his hot start this year.

Simply put, he is way too inconsistent to be on our top six, we just cannot rely on him to score when needed.  I know many of his acolytes will claim that we can't rely on Gomez either but don't expect me to fall for that strawman argument, Gomez' right to be on our top six has no bearing on whether 46 should be or not.

In the end, we need to get rid of 46 and even if we put in a less "skilled" player in his spot, it is guaranteed that player will work harder to improve and help the team whereas we know 46 will not.

We got rid of the baby cancer last year, this year, it is time to get rid of the big brother.