ARLINGTON, VA — The Washington Capitals have welcomed back two of the biggest members of their roster — literally.
Aliaksei Protas and Ilya Protas both hit the ice Thursday morning, taking part in the team’s informal skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
The Protas brothers joined a growing group of Capitals players practicing in Arlington, with the start of training camp just two weeks away.
After a breakout year in 2024-25, Aliaksei, 25, remained one of the Capitals’ strongest wingers last season, albeit without quite as much offensive production. His 52 points (25g, 27a) ranked fifth on the team in 2025-26, and his 23 even-strength goals tied for 28th-most in the NHL. A lack of substantial time on the power play makes those numbers even more impressive: he scored more shorthanded (2g, 1a) than he did with a man advantage (0g, 1a).
Ilya, 20, spent most of the 2025-26 season with the Hershey Bears, where he was named AHL Rookie of the Year, before being recalled to the NHL in April. Though he played just four games with Washington, his Capitals debut marked a bright spot amid a tough end to the season, and he quickly made a splash at the NHL level with four points (1g, 3a) in that span.
The two share an especially close relationship, with Aliaksei serving almost as another parent to Ilya growing up. They train together over the summers (though Aliaksei doesn’t take it easy on his little brother) and talk daily when apart during the season.
That bond made the chance to share the ice even more special when Ilya made the jump to the NHL. After getting the news, Ilya said debuting on a team with his brother was “a childhood dream come true,” while Aliaksei called it an “unbelievable feeling.”
Ilya has earned the nickname “Little Pro,” but he and Aliaksei are nowhere near small, both listed at 6’6.” (Though neither will admit it, Ilya appears to have just barely surpassed his brother.) Together, the pair combined with Tom Wilson to form one of the largest lines in the NHL, clocking in at over 700 pounds.
The Capitals announced Wednesday that Ilya will be among the prospects at Capitals rookie camp in Annapolis from September 13-15, with Training Camp set to begin on September 17.
Forward Theodor Niederbach, who signed a one-year, two-way deal with Washington in May, was also among the newest arrivals at the skate.
