Aliaksei Protas says Capitals had interest in Vitaly Pinchuk before he signed with Predators: 'Washington asked me about Vitaly. Some of our scouts really liked him.'

""It's cool that another Belarusian could be joining the NHL next season. I wouldn't say Vitaly and I know each other very well, but we've certainly heard a lot about each other. We're represented by the same agency. When I found out he'd signed with Nashville, I immediately wrote to him and congratulated him. He's done a great job; he's made a very important step in his career.""

""By the way, Washington asked me about Vitaly, and there was interest. Some of our scouts really liked him. And, judging by what I read in the press, he had a lot of options for continuing his career in the NHL.""

""At some point, Washington stopped discussing the matter. I can guess why. I think the club already knew Vitaly was leaning toward another organization. And we dropped out of the race.""

""It seems Pinchuk chose Nashville because he thought he had a better chance of making the top six there than anywhere else. At least for now, Nashville seems like a good option.""

The Washington Capitals expressed interest in signing KHL free agent Vitaly Pinchuk, as noted by forward Aliaksei Protas. Protas mentioned that the Capitals inquired about Pinchuk, who ultimately signed a one-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators. Pinchuk had a successful season with Dinamo Minsk, scoring 66 points in 65 games. Protas speculated that the Capitals ceased discussions as they sensed Pinchuk was leaning towards Nashville, where he believed he had a better chance of making the top six.

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