The Belarusian forward of the Washington Capitals, **[Alexey Protas](https://www.theathletic.com/player/aleksey-protas/)**, has been recognized by The Athletic as the best draft pick of the Capitals in the past decade.

“The best: Alexey Protas. While acknowledging the current talents of Washington, such as Ryan Leonard and Andrew Crystal, the choice falls on Protas. He established himself as a valuable asset even before scoring 30 goals in the 2024/2025 season. Acquiring a player of his caliber, with such a versatile skill set, at the end of the third round was a significant victory for the Capitals’ front office,” stated The Athletic article.

Protas was selected by Washington in 2019 during the third round as the overall 91st pick. The 24-year-old forward played 82 games for the Capitals last season (including playoffs), accumulating a total of 68 points (31 goals and 37 assists).