The 2021-22 regular season has somehow made the 2015 NHL Entry Draft even worse for the Boston Bruins. First, Jake DeBrusk requested a trade. Then, after a strong start to the season, Jakub Zboril tore his ACL and won’t be returning for the remainder of the campaign. However, it just couldn’t stop there, as now Zach Senyshyn has followed in DeBrusk’s footsteps and has requested a trade himself. Yet, in his case, it’s also easy to understand why. He wants the opportunity to play in the NHL and to move past his rocky tenure with the organization.
The Bruins going off the board to draft Senyshyn was highly questionable from the very beginning. Obviously and not shockingly, it turned out to be the wrong call, but the blame shouldn’t be placed on the winger. Not only was he drafted far earlier than all scouts predicted, but the Bruins never gave him much of a chance, either. However, if he were to be dealt to a rebuilding team, perhaps he could finally get his first prolonged stay at the NHL level. Here are three potential landing spots for the disgruntled forward who potentially could give him just that.
Arizona Coyotes
Senyshyn has made it abundantly clear that he believes that he is ready to be a full-time NHL player. When looking at the Coyotes’ current forward group, he does have a decent shot of making their bottom six or even being their 13th forward. After a summer of extreme selling, the Coyotes are in a full-on rebuild and sport a terrible 6-21-2 record. With this, they could find the 24-year-old winger an appealing option for their lineup.
Yet, for Senyshyn specifically, this could be a fantastic fit for him to finally get some meaningful playing time at the NHL level. Now, that’s not to say that landing there would automatically result in that, but he could certainly compete for a spot with former Bruins forward Loui Eriksson. When it comes to the long term, Eriksson, Phil Kessel, Antoine Roussel, and Johan Larsson are all forwards with expiring contracts, so he would have multiple spots to fight for next season, too.
The Coyotes also have some players that the Bruins could pursue as we inch closer to the deadline, too. Perhaps Senyshyn could be a small piece heading the other way in a potential trade.
Ottawa Senators
Although the Senators are in the same division as the Bruins, they could be a nice destination for Senyshyn on a personal level. It would allow the winger to have the opportunity to fight for a spot on his hometown team. The Senators do possess a bit more depth on offense than the Coyotes, but it certainly isn’t out of the question that he could get called up from the American Hockey League (AHL) there.
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The Senators have a 9-17-2 record at this time, so it’s pretty easy to tell that they will be sellers this season. With that, players like Chris Tierney, Zach Sanford, Nick Paul, and Tyler Ennis have expiring contracts and will be unrestricted free agents over the summer. We could see them all moved as rentals at the deadline, which of course, would create more holes in Ottawa’s lineup for Senyshyn to fill.
It would be nice for Senyshyn to cement himself as an NHL player with the Senators, especially as an Ottawa native. Even if he suited up in just one game for them, that would be a great moment for the former first-round pick.
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken has players the Bruins should target, so one has to wonder if Senyshyn could be a sweetener in a potential trade. Seattle seems like a possible destination for DeBrusk as well, so perhaps the two 2015 first-round picks could even be shipped away in the same deal. Whether the Bruins add a forward or defenseman from the Kraken, it is clear that they have a plethora of options. These include Joonas Donskoi, Mason Appleton, Calle Jarnkrok, Mark Giordano, and old friend Jeremy Lauzon.
Like the two other teams on this list, the Kraken are struggling this season immensely. At this time, they are last in the Pacific Division with a 10-17-3 record, so yes, they are destined to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline. It makes the idea of Senyshyn heading there certainly possible, as any future trade Boston makes will likely include him. At this point, both parties clearly need to move on.
A move to Seattle could benefit Senyshyn, too, as they aren’t necessarily known for possessing the strongest of depth up front. Keep in mind, a significant reason why he wants out of Boston is because of the lack of chances he’s had at the NHL level with the organization. When comparing the Kraken’s forward group to Bruins’, it’s clear that he would have a better shot there.
It would be good for Senyshyn to get that fresh start he desperately is yearning for. From a personal level, it could be the best move of his career, as it would finally lessen the pressure of him incorrectly being a first-round pick. Although he hasn’t panned out with the Bruins, he wasn’t supposed to be taken that early in the draft. Furthermore, when looking at the Bruins’ struggles offensively, it’s strange that they haven’t called him up a single time this campaign. Alas, here’s to hoping Boston grants his request and moves him soon.