Capitals Outsider · Apr 9, 2023
Aliaksei Protas a Bright Spot in Otherwise Lost Season for Caps
While the 2022-23 season for the Washington Capitals will be considered “lost” with the team’s failure to make the playoffs, there were a few bright spots. One of those was the emergence of Aliaksei Protas as a full-time NHL player.
Protas won a spot on the opening night roster in training camp over Connor McMichael, despite the latter being widely viewed as the better prospect. Protas took the opportunity and ran with it. As the team got healthier, Protas, who was waivers exempt, had stints in the AHL, but never let it deter him. The rookie forward might not be putting up a massive point total, but a look under the hood shows how good the 23-year-old has been.