As the race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs heats up, the teams can hardly afford to make any mistakes. However, the Washington Capitals haven’t got one of their tactics right despite dominating the Metropolitan Division. It is regarding their winger, Aliaksei Protas, who is shining bright this season.

The Capitals sit comfortably at the top of their division, having amassed 94 points and being 12 points clear of the second-placed Hurricanes. While star forward, Alex Ovechkin continues to lead the pack, Protas has been one of the most influential figures for them this season. Interestingly, a major stat went viral on social media recently which might ring alarm bells in the Capitals’ roster.

A list was released on X mentioning players who averaged less than 17 minutes on the ice per game played. Aliaksei Protas was at the top of that list as he had crazy stats despite not spending much time on the ice. The Capitals’ winger has scored 28 goals and recorded 30 assists this season despite spending just 16.33 minutes on average on the ice per game. Additionally, he has a plus-minus of +39, which is the highest in the league in 2024-25. Thus, the Capitals have been making a big blunder by not involving Protas for a majority part of the game.

Meanwhile, Protas’ performances just keep getting better and better for the Capitals this season. During the game against the Ducks, Protas notched up his first career hat trick after a selfless pass from Alex Ovechkin. It was a well-deserved moment for Protas, who is shining bright for the Capitals this season. After achieving this amazing feat, Protas had some kind words for his close ones.

Aliaksei Protas living his NHL dream

At just 24, Protas has announced himself onto the big stage. He is putting on mature displays game after game, which have been pivotal in the Capitals leading their division. Additionally, he is strongly backed by his friends, family, and fellow members of the team as he sets his sights on an exceptional NHL season. As a result, Protas delivered a heartfelt message after scoring his first hat trick.

He said, “Thank you boys. It’s pretty special for me, for my family. It’s all because of you guys. Proud to go out there with you every night. We also know him [Ovechkin] as an unselfish player first and foremost. He was so happy for me, maybe more happy than when he scores. It says a lot about him as a teammate, as a leader, as a captain, and that’s why we win. We’re happy for each other and we compete for each other.”

With the Capitals’ chances of making it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team should hand more time to Protas on the ice. Thus, he would be able to make a bigger impact in crunch games, which could prove to be the winning strategy for the Washington Capitals.