The Washington Capitals have once again assembled a duo of giant Belarusian brothers at training camp. Aliaksei Protas and Ilya Protas, who played in a preseason game together last year, will be two of the 37 forwards on the ice for the Capitals to start this year’s camp.
However, unlike last season, Ilya will be joining his brother in the professional ranks, with the only decision left being whether that will be with the Capitals in the NHL or the Hershey Bears in the AHL. The elder Protas, five years senior, was asked on Thursday about the tough summer preparations he put his brother through to get ready for the challenge.
“I’m just trying to help him as much as I can,” Aliaksei said. “And if he wants to take the big step to the professional hockey this year, I know what it takes, and I just try to help him. Because sometimes he likes to maybe, on drills, take his time a little slower, and I’m just trying to remind him it’s got to be way faster, way harder. You’ve got to – it starts from practice from summer.”
Ilya, who showed up to camp an inch taller and 17 pounds heavier than last year, was drafted by the Capitals in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft with his brother in attendance. He then absolutely tore up the OHL for the Windsor Spitfires, shooting up prospect ranking boards after recording 124 points (50g, 74a) in 61 games.
The fast rise up the ranks has Capitals fans dreaming of seeing a Protas-brothers connection as early as this season. While he’d likely join fans in wanting to see that happen, Aliaksei was more focused on just enjoying the current moment than looking to the future.
“I mean, it’s just special, like every day special,” Aliaksei said. “Seeing him, seeing each other beside, and wearing the Capitals jersey and being in the National Hockey League. We don’t take it for granted every day, and we’re just so proud to be here and just enjoy that time together.
“He also has his goals. Everyone on the camp wants to make the team, and it makes everyone better. Everyone wants to be here. That’s what makes everybody better. And we just want to enjoy that time being together here and just have fun.”
Despite playing the role of Ilya’s coach all summer, Aliaksei added that he’s mostly putting those duties away and leaving them to the Capitals’ staff now that the two brothers are back in North America.
“Right now, during the camp, I think he got the great coaching staff, NHL, AHL, great guys who can help him in whatever he needs,” Aliaksei said. “I can help him, like game-wise, little details. Maybe if you’re together or when we play, let’s say, against Boston, I could help him with all the details, but obviously, he got the great coach and stuff to help him.”
Aliaksei, of course, has his own training camp to worry about as he seeks to build off what was a tremendous 2024-25 campaign, where he recorded 66 points (30g, 36a) in 76 games and scored the third-most goals on the Capitals.
“There’s so many little details I’ve got to get better at in the game, and if we put it all together, I hope we’ll get another great year,” Aliaksei said. “I got to prove it wasn’t just one-off year, and I got so much work ahead of me to do.”
The two Protas brothers won’t be on the ice at the same time for the first few days of camp as they’re currently separated among the team’s three groups. The Capitals open their preseason this weekend when they travel to play the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
