For a minute there, Alexei Protas seemed like a good option on Ovechkin’s off wing.

By the Numbers

Visualization by HockeyViz

About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows lots of information for the player over the season. A short description of each chart:

• Most common teammates during 5-on-5
• Ice time per game, split up by game state
• 5-on-5 adjusted shot attempts by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• 5-on-5 adjusted shooting percentage by the team (black) and opponents (red)
• Individual scoring events by the player
• 5-on-5 adjusted offensive (black) and defensive (red) zone starts

Peter’s Take

I don’t really understand what happened here. The Caps were beset by injuries early in the season, which allowed for the 21-year-old goliath to get a surprise spot on Washington’s top line with Alex Ovechkin. And the all-Russian combo kinda worked (Protas is Belarussian). Here’s how Ovechkin and Kuznetsov fared — measured in shot-attempt percentage, where 50 percent is even and higher is better — with various right winger.

Outside of those scant 37 minutes with Oshie, Protas seemed like the best of the many options Peter Laviolette tried in the slot. The Caps outscored opponents 5 to 2 as well, which is darn good (with Wilson they outscored opponents 28 to 17, nothing to sneeze at either).

But by December, the experiment was ended and in February Protas was returned to Hershey, where he scored 8 goals and 16 assists in 42 games. I suppose that Protas lost his spot as the team got healthy, but I’m not fully convinced that was the right move. At least, I think there’s some promise to this player at the NHL level, and I’m eager to see him get more looks next season and beyond.

Protas on RMNB

• The Caps summoned Protas from Hershey on November 1. That same night he made his debut with a rookie lap.
• When Dowd came back from IR days later, Protas was re-assigned, but stand by.
• Because he came back the very next day once Mantha went on IR. But stand by.
• Because he was sent back to Hershey the day after that.
• That assignment stuck. For four days. Then he came back to the Caps. I’m not gonna keep doing this bit. You get the idea.
• The big deal was on November 24, when Protas got promoted to ice time with the big boys.
• Laviolette on Protas’ value: “He’s been noticeable in the games with his work ethic, his speed, his size, his heaviness on his stick, and the battles. It is a good opportunity to step up and show what he can do in that role. I think he’s been a good player.”
• On November 28, Protas scored his first NHL goal by banking a puck off Tony DeAngelo. Totally deliberate.

Alexei Protas gets a lucky bounce off DeAngelo's skate and gets his first career @NHL goal! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/sMQ8q5onvW

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 28, 2021

Your Turn

Are you 6′,6″? Because Protas is.

What made Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Protas effective? Was it the Cyrillic alphabet or something else?

Lastly, Alexei or Aliaksei?

Read more: Japers Rink