Aliaksei Protas was sent down on February 1 by the Capitals to the AHL’s Hershey Bears ahead of the NHL All-Star Break and the Caps’ bye week.

Protas is back in DC now. The Caps recalled him on Friday from the Bears before they’re set to play back-to-back nights away to the Boston Bruins and home vs the San Jose Sharks.

NEWS | The Capitals have recalled forward Aliaksei Protas from the Hershey Bears.https://t.co/KjwjKbbJDD

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 10, 2023

No additional move will need to be made to allow Protas to come back up to the NHL because Nic Dowd is still on injured reserve and the Caps were only carrying 22 out of a maximum 23 roster members. Both Dowd and Tom Wilson remain out injured with their respective lower-body injuries. Neither player has practiced with the team in the final two practices before Saturday afternoon’s matchup in Boston.

Protas has 10 points (3g, 7a) in 42 games for the Capitals this season. With the young Belorussian on the ice at five-on-five, the Caps have seen 56 percent of the shot attempts, 58.1 percent of the expected goals, 54 percent of the scoring chances, and 58.6 percent of the high-danger chances.

Protas can be utilized on the wing or at center and is a skilled two-way player, giving head coach Peter Laviolette further flexibility in a seemingly ever-fluctuating lineup.

In eight games with Hershey this season, Protas has put up five points (2g, 3a). In this most recent stint of three games, he scored twice.

Here’s the full press release from the Washington Capitals:

Capitals Recall Aliaksei Protas

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled forward Aliaksei Protas from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

Protas, 22, has recorded 10 points (3g, 7a) in 42 games with Washington this season. The 6’6″, 235-pound forward appeared in 33 games with Washington during the 2021-22 season, ranking second among Capitals rookies in plus/minus (+4) and third in points (9). In 75 career NHL games with the Capitals, Protas has recorded 19 points (6g, 13a).

In eight games with Hershey this season, Protas has recorded five points (2g, 3a). The Vitebsk, Belarus native recorded 24 points (8g, 16a) in 42 games with the Bears in 2021-22, establishing AHL career highs in goals, assists, points and power play goals (2) and earning Hershey’s Rookie of the Year award. Protas has recorded 36 points (12g, 24a) in 66 career AHL games with Hershey.

The Capitals selected Protas with their third-round pick, 91st overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB