Since being drafted 15th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Zach Senyshyn has had very little opportunity to showcase his talent at the NHL level.
The 2015 NHL Entry Draft is one that many believe the Boston Bruins could have handled better. The Bruins had three consecutive picks in the middle of the round, with the 13th, 14th and 15th picks in the first round. The team used those picks to select Jake DeBrusk, Jakub Zboril and Zach Senyshyn, but DeBrusk is the only one of those players to really make an impact in the NHL.
While the Bruins depth on the blueline has Zboril patiently waiting for his chance to play in the NHL, Senyshyn’s best opportunity to make the jump to the big club might right now.
The departures of Marcus Johansson and Noel Acciari opens up space in the Bruins forward group, and with uncertainty surrounding David Backes‘ future role with the team, there certainly seems to be at least one forward spot up for grabs.
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Senyshyn played his junior hockey with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.
During his time with the Greyhounds he became known for his ability to put the puck in the net, scoring 45 goals in 2015-16 and then 42 during the 2016-17 season. Despite the high goal totals, Senyshyn only reached 65 total points in each of those seasons.
Senyshyn has spent most of the past two seasons with Providence, but got a small taste of the NHL late in the regular season when he played in two games for the Bruins and recorded his first goal.
However, he hasn’t exactly been lighting up the AHL. The 22-year-old has played in 132 games in the AHL, but has only recorded 50 points over that span. In a recent interview, Senyshyn said that those games in Boston had a big impact on him moving forward.
"It definitely lit a fire under me. When you get a taste of it, you get really excited for the upcoming season."@ZachSenyshyn goes 1-on-1 during Day 3 of #BruinsTour in Burlington, VT to talk about his time with the #NHLBruins last spring: pic.twitter.com/gdtdZM1fvn
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 18, 2019
Despite that, Senyshyn still has a shot to start the upcoming season in Boston. Assuming that Backes is still a member of the Boston Bruins in October, he’ll likely find himself playing on the fourth line if he even plays at all.
After Karson Kuhlman impressed during his time with the Bruins, it’s likely that he’ll remain alongside David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. That leaves a spot open on the third line, and Senyshyn’s speed could be exactly what the team needs alongside Danton Heinen and Charlie Coyle.
Of course, Senyshyn won’t be the only player hoping to find a spot in the lineup. Trent Frederic, Anders Bjork and Jack Studnicka are all going to be fighting for their shot at playing in the NHL.
With only one spot available, making the team won’t be an easy task, but this might be the best chance for Senyshyn to show why the Bruins were right to draft him in the first round back in 2015.