The Washington Capitals announced on Friday morning that they have sent forwards Aliaksei Protas, Joe Snively, and Beck Malenstyn to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.

All three players are eligible to suit up for the Bears in the Calder Cup playoffs. They will look to help Hershey secure the franchise’s 12th Calder Cup championship.

NEWS | The Washington Capitals have loaned forwards Aliaksei Protas, Joe Snively and Beck Malenstyn to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey Leaguehttps://t.co/AJDWgjgOA6

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 14, 2023

Protas played just eight games with the Bears this season as he spent the majority of the 2022-23 campaign with the Capitals in the NHL. In 58 games for the Caps, the giant Belorussian recorded 15 points (4g, 11a).

Protas has past AHL playoff experience from 2022 when he grabbed one assist in three games for the Bears.

Snively has once again been one of Hershey’s most productive players this season. In 31 AHL games, he has racked up 25 points (9g, 16a). Despite spending parts of five seasons with the Bears in the AHL, Snively has only gotten into three career playoff games and has zero points.

Malenstyn is the most experienced of the three when it comes to the postseason as he has seen 12 playoff games with the Bears. This season the rough and tough winger put up 10 points (6g, 4a) in 39 AHL games.

Hershey will wrap their regular season up with back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday against the Bridgeport Islanders and Lehigh Valley Phantoms. As things stand, the Bears are first in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.

They have also secured a first-round playoff bye.

Headline photo: Tori Hartman / Hershey Bears