HERSHEY, PA — Ilya Protas, at age 19, was the Hershey Bears’ best player during the regular season, scoring a team-leading 29 goals and posting a team-leading 66 points in 69 games. The performance earned Protas the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 season, becoming just the second Bears player in franchise history to take home the honor (Ron Hextall, 1985-86).
The teenager, who plays in all situations, has only further elevated his play in the postseason, with his most recent feat coming in Game 2 of the Bears’ Atlantic Division Semifinals series against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. With Hershey down 1-0 in the best-of-five series, Protas assisted on both of his team’s goals in their 2-1 victory at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza, Saturday.
Protas’s first apple came with 3:35 remaining in the first period, earning the primary assist on a Brett Leason power-play goal. In a somewhat awkward play, Protas muffed his initial one-touch pass from the left point. But he recaptured the loose puck, dangled into the slot, and then found Leason at the far post. Leason was initially stopped by Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov on his initial shot attempt, but batted home the rebound out of midair.
Brett Leason power-play goal, Game 2
“He makes some great plays out there,” Leason said. “Obviously, that one’s a little lucky… but just his poise and patience with the puck, he’s going to be a special player.”
Protas then earned an assist on the game-winning goal scored by Bogdan Trineyev, with 2:49 remaining in the second period. As the biscuit was rimmed around the boards, Protas touched the puck forward to Andrew Cristall, who was skating down the right side of the ice. Cristal then made a hesitation play before dragging it onto his backhand and feeding a centering pass to Trineyev camped out in the slot. Trineyev lifted the stick of Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering and then fired a shot past Murashov.
Bogdan Trineyev game-winning goal, Game 2
The Bears would hold on to their lead and tie the series as it heads back home to Giant Center for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
To start the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, Protas has points in four straight and is tied with his linemates, Cristall and Trineyev, for the team lead in scoring. All three players have 2 goals, 3 assists, and 5 points.
When asked what makes the line work so well, Bears head coach Derek King had a simple reply.
“Pro,” he said on Monday, eliciting laughter from the media.
“No, you know what, it’s just, it’s a combination,” he continued. “Like, Pro obviously plays a somewhat skilled game, but he plays a 200-foot game. Cristall’s all skill, smart with the park, makes plays, and [Trineyev] is the workhorse on that. So it’s a good combination. They all bring something different to the line, which I think works.”
Protas has been all over the scoresheet to start the postseason. He had a goal and assist in Hershey’s first-round series, a two-game sweep of the Bridgeport Islanders, before adding a goal and two assists in the first two games of the Bears’ second-round series against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Ilya Protas goal #1 (vs. BRI – Game 1)
Ilya Protas assist #1 (vs. BRI – Game 2)
Ilya Protas goal #2 (vs. WBS – Game 1)
Not only has he produced, but the Belarusian forward has also noticeably had more joy and confidence on the ice, combining that with a much more physical brand of hockey, which both he and his roommate Trineyev enjoy.
“We have a lot of battles, a lot of hits, and Wilkes-Barre players, they have a lot experience in NHL, and they high guys,” Trineyev said. “It’s really, really heavy series and heavy team.
“I think [first line] have plan. When nothing changes, it’s simple work. It’s forecheck, hits, and it’s just playoff, playoff hockey.”
The continued evolution in Protas’s game comes at a pivotal point early in his career. This could be Protas’s only Calder Cup Playoffs appearance with the Bears, as a full-time promotion to the NHL seems likely next season.
Protas made his NHL debut in April and played in the final four games of the Washington Capitals’ 2025-26 campaign, scoring his first NHL goal and posting four points (1g, 3a) total. He found success centering the team’s 700-pound, second line, which included his older brother, Aliaksei Protas, and alternate captain Tom Wilson. The Capitals then sent Protas back down after their season finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets so he could finish the year with the Bears.
“I really think him going up and playing a couple NHL games and having success has helped him coming into the playoffs,” King said of Protas’s burgeoning confidence. “He feels real good about himself. It always helps a guy knowing that there’s a possibility that ‘I could be in the NHL next year, but I still have to prove that I want to be there.’ And that’s what he’s doing.”
Protas has brought energy to the team in other ways; his goal celebrations with teammates have been downright Ovechkian.
During Game 2 of their first-round series against Bridgeport, Protas jumped high into the boards and tackled the much tinier Cristall to the ice after the Vancouver native scored on a breakaway to put the Bears up 3-1.
Andrew Cristall breakaway goal in Game 2 against Bridgeport
“I saw Pro coming down, and it’s a big kid jumping right into me,” Cristall said. “I went down with him, so it was pretty funny, but it’s pretty cool.”
Ilya has also saved a lot of his celebratory aggression for Trineyev, one of his mentors. After Trineyev scored an empty-netter, sealing the series for the Bears in the first round, Protas gave him a mugging in the goal hug.
Goal hug after Trineyev’s empty-net goal in Game 2 against Bridgeport
Protas also appeared to happily yell at Cristall after his game-winning assist and shove Trineyev after his game-winner in Wilkes-Barre.
Goal hug after Trineyev’s GWG in Game 2 against Wilkes-Barre
“I know when I scored last goal, it’s too aggressive, guys,” Trineyev said. “I was scared of these two guys, and I don’t know what would happen.”
The line’s ridiculous goal celebrations have also caught the attention of other teammates.
“I don’t know what happened,” Miroshnichenko said. “I think these three guys are close outside the rink, maybe in home. Same hug, I don’t know.”
“It’s been great, obviously, on the bench and even on the ice,” King said of Protas’s newfound off-the-charts enthusiasm. “He’s talking with the guys. He’s shown some emotion. It’s just fun to watch.”
As for highlighting Protas’s jump in play, King wanted to limit his praise as much as possible.
“Oh, I mean, he’s – I don’t like to say he’s ready for the NHL because I’d like to have him for another year, but, I mean, he’s a special player,” he said. “He’s proven that.”
