The Washington Capitals don’t just have one Protas. Now, they have two.
On Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft Saturday, the Capitals traded up in the third round to select Ilya Protas, the 17-year-old younger brother of Aliaksei Protas.
Aliaksei and his wife Tatsiana were sitting right beside Ilya at Vegas’ Sphere when the Capitals’ delegation announced the pick.
“YEAH!!!” an emotional Aliaksei screamed when he heard Ilya’s name. He then bowed his head into his hands, overcome with emotion.
Washington sent their third-round pick (82nd overall) and their fifth-round pick (146th overall) to the New Jersey Devils. According to Aliaksei, the trade made him suspect something might be up.
“I was sitting on my phone when I heard Jersey traded the pick to the Caps,” Aliaksei said to Monumental Sports Network’s Tarik El-Bashir. “I was like, ‘Good!’ Then I heard my name and I’m like, ‘No way.’ I’m so proud.
“It was a little déjà vu when I heard it,” he added, grinning. “I kind of hoped. For sure, I hoped. It’s nice to be drafted by every team but for sure you want to be together. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
Ilya was beaming when he conducted his first interview as a member of the Capitals.
“It’s a special moment, special day for me and my family,” Ilya said. “I don’t have words to explain. I’m just happy to in this organization.
“I just wanted to be in the same organization as my brother,” he said.
Ilya, who measures in at six foot four, first introduced himself to Capitals fans as “Little Pro.”
Despite the five-year age gap, Aliaksei and Ilya shared a close bond growing up, with Aliaksei stepping up to help in the absence of their father.
“I was always like — dad left home for [a] year for work, so I basically needed to help my mom, to be the older brother,” Aliaksei told RMNB last fall. “So I didn’t have time to just, you know, fight and do something. I had no time for that. So we were pretty close.”
The brothers were able to spend even more time together last season once Ilya left his native Belarus to play for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers. Ilya was able to visit Aliaksei in DC during breaks in his junior hockey schedule, and has already gotten to know several players on the Caps.
Over 61 games in 2023-24, Ilya scored 51 points (14g, 37a) for the Buccaneers, the second-highest total on the club. He was named to the USHL’s All-Rookie First Team, led all USHL rookies in assists (37), and tied for second in total power-play goals (6). Ilya was ranked the 49th best North American-based skater in this year’s draft by NHL Central Scouting.
Congratulations to Buccaneer Ilya Protas on being drafted into the NHL by the Washington Capitals!
Protas was picked in the 3 RND and was pick 75! #gethooked #NHLDraft #USHL pic.twitter.com/M1UNsZuc9H
— Des Moines Buccaneers (@bucshockey) June 29, 2024
“He [got] out of the comfort zone and moved to the USHL and he showed his work ethic,” Aliaksei said Saturday. “He showed he’s a great teammate. I know it. I see it. Boys really happy to have him in Des Moines. And he’s a great teammate. So happy for him. He’s done a great job adjusting to North America. I’m so proud of him.”
When Aliaksei was asked who Ilya models his game after, he responded, “me.”
“I think he’s real smart,” Aliaksei said. “I love how he plays in stressful situations, like when it’s tied game and tied situation in the battles. I love his decisions. He’s done great job improving his skating. Still got a long way to go. I’m so happy and proud of the job he’s done this season. It’s time for him to keep it going.”
Aliaksei, after signing a five-year, $16.875 million extension last season, admitted that he was already daydreaming about potentially taking the ice together with Ilya someday in the future.
“Yeah, I hope so,” Aliaksei said. “It’s up to him to work and to prove he deserves to be with Capitals so it’s up to him. I will try to help him as much as I can, but it’s at the end of the day, it’s up to him to work and prove (it).”
