Former first round pick Zach Senyshyn demands a trade just before Christmas.

Being drafted into the National Hockey League is something that most hockey players can only dream about and being drafted in the 1st round of one of those drafts is something that even some of the players who make it to the NHL can only dream of. Forward Zachary Senyshyn was one of those lucky few, but since being drafted that dream has turned into something more akin to a nightmare.

Senyshyn was selected in the 1st round (15th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, but in spite of that he has never truly had the chance to prove himself at the NHL level. Since that draft Senyshyn has only appeared in 14 total NHL games, 8 of which were played just last season during the 2020 - 2021 campaign and it appears his frustration at his developmental trajectory has finally reached a boiling point.

This week Bruins reporter Mark Divver reported that the young forward has finally had it with the Bruins organization and has now requested to be traded somewhere else. Speaking with Divver over the phone, Senyshyn informed him that he feels he is ready to take the next step to the NHL but does not believe that the Bruins will be the team with whom he does that.

"I feel like my game has gotten to that level where I’m ready to play and I’m ready to make an impact," said Senyshyn as per Divver. "With the way the Bruins organization has been going, it just doesn’t seem like I’m in the mix.’"

Senyshyn also added that he feels he has been largely ignored by the Bruins despite improvements he feels he has made to his game while gaining experience in the American Hockey League and when you consider the fact that he has just 14 career games since being selected in 2015, it's not hard to see why he feels that way.

Senyshyn is having himself another solid season in the AHL with the Providence Bruins, 8 goals and 5 assists for 13 total points through his first 21 games of the season, and he feels the time for a trade is now. To his credit, it seems Senyshyn also acknowledged that this would likely be the right move for the Bruins as well.

"I’m not really being utilized in (the Boston) organization. I’m not being used at all. I feel as though it’s better for them to get some return and for me to get a fresh start.’"

The young forward describes himself as a man that has been a "loyal soldier" for a long time and considering that he intends to report back to the Providence Bruins, even in spite of his trade demands, after the holiday break it's hard to dispute that claim. If anything it sounds like he is ready to work diligently, perhaps with the hopes of attracting attention from another team willing to give him a better shot at cracking an NHL roster.

"My biggest priority is getting my game to be the best it can be and that’s going to be by playing and being a good leader and teammate and doing all those things. It won’t be by sitting at home," said Senyshyn. "My focus is still on developing my game and helping my team, but I’m just at the point now where I’m ready for that change."