March 18, 2021
The Washington Capitals, the NHL affiliate of the
Hershey Bears, announced today that center Aliaksei Protas has been re-assigned from Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) to the Bears. The announcement was made by Washington senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan.
Protas, 20, was the Capitals’ 3rd choice, 91st overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft. He recorded 18 points (10g, 8a) in 58 regular season games with Dinamo Minsk this season. The Vitebsk, Belarus, native ranked tied for 5th on the team in goals and tied for 8th in points, despite ranking 15th in time on ice per game (12:52) among Dinamo Minsk skaters with at least 30 games played. Additionally, Protas recorded four points (1g, 3a) in five playoff games and was named Best Rookie of the KHL playoffs’ first round.
Protas, 20, spent the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and recorded a combined 120 points (42g, 78a) in 119 games. The 6’6”, 210-pound center led Prince Albert in goals, assists, points, plus/minus (37) and game-winning goals (7) in 2019-20. Protas was selected to the WHL’s Eastern Conference First All-Star Team and was named the WHL Eastern Conference Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year.
Protas will wear #40 for Hershey.