Aliaksei Protas

Aliaksei Protas
Protas playing for the Washington Capitals in December 2021
Born (2001-01-06) 6 January 2001
Vitebsk, Belarus
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 250 lb (113 kg; 17 st 12 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Washington Capitals
Dinamo Minsk
National team  Belarus
NHL draft 91st overall, 2019
Washington Capitals
Playing career 2020–present

Aliaksei Uladzimiravich Protas (Belarusian: Аляксей Уладзіміравіч Протас, Russian: Алексей Владимирович Протас; born 6 January 2001) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Protas previously played two seasons of major junior for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and was selected 91st overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He made his professional debut in 2020 with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Internationally, Protas has played for the Belarusian national junior team at two World Junior Championships.

Playing career

Protas started his career in his hometown of Vitebsk. He moved to Denver, Colorado to play youth hockey for Colorado Evolution for one season before travelling back to Belarus. He spent two seasons with the Belarus U17 team that played in the Vysshaya Liga, the second league in Belarus, before being selected 26th overall by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.[1] He joined the Raiders for the 2018–19 season, and finished with 40 points in 61 games. Heading into the 2019 NHL Entry Draft Protas was the 30th ranked North American skater, and was selected 91st overall by the Washington Capitals.[2] He played for Prince Albert in 2019–20 season, which was ended prematurely due to COVID-19; in 58 games he had 80 points, which placed him ninth in the WHL in scoring and the highest-scoring European player.[3]

For the 2020–21 season, Protas was loaned to HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[3] He had 18 points in 58 games, and an additional 4 points in 5 playoff games.[4] With Minsk's season over, Protas was reassigned to the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' American Hockey League affiliate.[5]

During the 2021–22 NHL season, Protas was called up to the Capitals,[6] and he scored his first career NHL goal on 28 November 2021, during a 4–2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.[7]

On 19 January 2024, Protas signed a five-year contract extension with the Capitals, carrying an average annual value of $3.375 million through the 2028–29 season.[8]

On 11 March 2025, Protas recorded his first career hat-trick in a 7–4 win over the Anaheim Ducks.[9]

During the 2024–25 season, Protas set career highs in goals (30), assists (36), and total points (66).[10]

Personal life

Protas' younger brother, Ilya, was drafted by the Capitals in the third round of the 2024 NHL entry draft.[11]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2016–17 Team Belarus U17 BEL-2 4 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2017–18 Team Belarus U17 BEL-2 49 9 11 20 8 3 1 3 4 0
2018–19 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 61 11 29 40 4 23 12 10 22 6
2018–19 Prince Albert Raiders MC — — — — — 3 0 0 0 2
2019–20 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 58 31 49 80 8 — — — — —
2020–21 Dinamo Minsk KHL 58 10 8 18 4 5 1 3 4 4
2020–21 Hershey Bears AHL 16 2 5 7 2 — — — — —
2021–22 Hershey Bears AHL 42 8 16 24 10 3 0 1 1 0
2021–22 Washington Capitals NHL 33 3 6 9 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Washington Capitals NHL 58 4 11 15 12 — — — — —
2022–23 Hershey Bears AHL 9 2 3 5 0 20 5 8 13 2
2023–24 Washington Capitals NHL 78 6 23 29 8 4 0 2 2 0
2024–25 Washington Capitals NHL 76 30 36 66 18 6 1 1 2 0
KHL totals 58 10 8 18 4 5 1 3 4 4
NHL totals 245 43 76 119 38 10 1 3 4 0

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2018 Belarus U18 8th 5 1 3 4 0
2019 Belarus WJC-D1 DNQ 5 2 3 5 0
2020 Belarus WJC-D1 DNQ 5 4 3 7 6
2021 Belarus WC 15th 6 0 2 2 0
2022 Belarus OGQ DNQ 3 0 1 1 2
Junior totals 15 7 9 16 6
Senior totals 9 0 3 3 2

Awards and honours

Honour Year
WHL
Ed Chynoweth Cup 2019
First All-Star Team (East) 2020 [12]
Belarus
2021 Belarus Cup – Champion 2021
AHL
Calder Cup 2023 [13]

References

  1. ^ "Raiders Select Protas In CHL Import Draft". Raiderhockey.com. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Capitals Sign Aliaksei Protas". NHL.com. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Capitals Loan Aliaksei Protas to Dinamo Minsk (KHL)". NHL.com. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  4. ^ Punkari, Lucas (11 March 2021). "Gotaas excited to return to the ice". Prince Albert Herald. Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on 12 October 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Capitals Re-assign Aliaksei Protas to Hershey". NHL.com. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Capitals' Alexei Protas: Called up". cbssports.com. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Aliaksei Protas scores the first NHL goal after diverting the puck from Tony DeAngelo and in - AU Sports". ausports.net. 28 November 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Capitals re-sign Aliaksei Protas". Washington Capitals. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  9. ^ Nate (12 March 2025). "The Selfish One Trick Pony Alex Ovechkin Passed Up An Empty Netter To Assist On Aliaksei Protas' First Career Hat Trick". barstoolsports.com. Barstool Sports. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  10. ^ "Aliaksei Protas Stats and News".
  11. ^ Silber, Sammi (29 June 2024). "Capitals Move Up In Third Round To Take Ilya Protas, Younger Brother Of Aliaksei". thehockeynews.com. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  12. ^ "WHL announces 2019-20 Conference First All-Star Teams". Western Hockey League. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Cup". American Hockey League. 22 June 2023. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
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