ARLINGTON, VA — Ilya Protas may have outgrown his “Little Pro” nickname.
Already a towering 6-foot-6 when he made his NHL debut this spring, the 20-year-old center has only continued to grow this summer. Though his listed height hasn’t changed, Ilya seems to have passed brother Aliaksei Protas to become the taller sibling.
“I think he is (taller),” Aliaksei said. “At least, we’re even now… Hopefully he’s not catching Victor Wembanyama.”
Ilya may not reach Wembanyama, who at 7’4″ is the NBA’s tallest active player, but he may not be done growing. As Ilya got taller over the years, both brothers had dodged the idea that he’d eventually pass Aliaksei in height.
“I hope I won’t be taller than him because it would be so hard,” Ilya said in July 2025.
Now that the moment has arrived, however, Aliaksei was quick to remind reporters that, even if Ilya was taller, he’d always be the little brother.
“Look in the passport, you know? I’m still going to be the older brother,” he said with a wry grin.
Ilya, meanwhile, pointed out that Aliaksei might be shorter, but he still had a significant size advantage.
“He’s always going to be the big brother, because he’s much bigger,” Ilya said. “Yeah, hopefully one day I’m going to get there… We’ll see if I can put the more weight on.”
Closing the weight gap between him and his brother was a focus for Ilya this offseason, though it was a team effort. He worked closely with the Capitals’ nutritionist to create a diet plan, while his mother handled much of the actual cooking.
“It’s a lot of work for me, for my mom, for sure, during the summer,” Ilya said. “She spent a lot of time in the kitchen.”
Ilya’s first taste of the NHL in April was just four games long, but he proved a bright spot amid a disappointing end to the season. Playing on a gargantuan line between Aliaksei and Tom Wilson, he registered a point-per-game pace (1g, 3a), including a three-point night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
So far in Training Camp, the brothers have continued to share a line, now with new acquisition Jordan Kyrou on the other wing. The trio is set to make its debut in Hershey on Monday night. Unlike last season, neither brother will be the tallest on this year’s Capitals roster, with that honor going to the 6-foot-7 Vincent Desharnais.
Head coach Spencer Carbery hopes having Aliaksei on his wing will help Ilya adjust to his first full season in the NHL.
“There’s quite an age gap,” Carbery said. “So it’s not like a brother relationship; [Aliaksei’s] more like a father. And he talks to him constantly. So I just felt like to make him feel as comfortable as possible as a rookie… I think that could potentially really help [him] early in the season, getting and feeling as comfortable as he can.”
Ilya confirmed that his brother’s presence helps ease his anxiety, especially around making mistakes, though that doesn’t mean Aliaksei lets him off the hook easily.
“It’s just a little bit more nervous with guys who are not like siblings to me,” Ilya said. “He’s going to be a little bit harder, but kind of a little bit easier, if I can say that, on me. Because obviously he can understand — everyone understands, but he’s like a little bit a little bit easier on me.”
The pair share an especially close relationship, with Aliaksei acting as almost an additional parent for parts of Ilya’s childhood, but that doesn’t exempt him from some good-natured teasing. When Ilya earned a spot on the Capitals’ power play — a role his brother hasn’t had at the NHL level — Aliaksei made sure to let him have it.
“He was just chirping me about ‘Only four games and you’re already there?” Ilya recalled, grinning. “But there’s a lot of work ahead to earn that spot, to be there fully and be there consistently.”
After a brief taste of playing together this spring, the Protas brothers are set to share the ice regularly this season, an opportunity few players in the NHL ever get. According to Aliaksei, the shine doesn’t wear off.
“I feel like every game is going to be like the first game,” he said. “It’s a special feeling. We never thought, back in the day, something like that possible, but hard work pays off We’re so happy, we don’t take it for granted, and we just try to earn every game every day together and just work hard.”
