{{short description|Belarusian ice hockey player (born 2001)}} {{Use Canadian English|date=March 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | name = Aliaksei Protas | image = File:Aliaksei Protas 2021 (3x4).jpg | image_size = | caption = Protas playing for the Washington Capitals in December 2021 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|01|06|df=y}} | birth_place = Vitebsk, Belarus | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 6 | weight_lb = 250 | position = Forward | shoots = Left | league = NHL | team = Washington Capitals | prospect_team = <!--Hershey Bears--> | prospect_league = AHL | former_teams = Dinamo Minsk | ntl_team = Belarus | draft = 91st overall | draft_year = 2019 | draft_team = Washington Capitals | career_start = 2020 | career_end = }} '''Aliaksei Uladzimiravich Protas''' ({{langx|be|Аляксей Уладзіміравіч Протас}}, {{langx|ru|Алексей Владимирович Протас}}; born 6 January 2001) is a Belarusian professional ice hockey player who is a forward for the <!--Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the--> Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Protas previously played two seasons of major junior for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and was selected 91st overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2019 NHL entry draft. He made his professional debut in 2020 with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Internationally, Protas has played for the Belarusian national junior team at two World Junior Championships.
==Playing career== Protas started his career in his hometown of Vitebsk. He moved to Denver, Colorado to play youth hockey for Colorado Evolution for one season before travelling back to Belarus. He spent two seasons with the Belarus U17 team that played in the Vysshaya Liga, the second league in Belarus, before being selected 26th overall by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://raiderhockey.com/article/raiders-select-protas-in-chl-import-draft|title=Raiders Select Protas In CHL Import Draft|date=28 June 2018|publisher=Raiderhockey.com|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> He joined the Raiders for the 2018–19 season, and finished with 40 points in 61 games. Heading into the 2019 NHL entry draft Protas was the 30th ranked North American skater, and was selected 91st overall by the Washington Capitals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-sign-aliaksei-protas/c-308227230|title=Capitals Sign Aliaksei Protas|date=10 July 2019|publisher=NHL.com|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref> He played for Prince Albert in 2019–20 season, which was ended prematurely due to COVID-19; in 58 games he had 80 points, which placed him ninth in the WHL in scoring and the highest-scoring European player.<ref name="Loan">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-loan-aliaksei-protas-to-dinamo-minsk-khl/c-318301648|title=Capitals Loan Aliaksei Protas to Dinamo Minsk (KHL)|date=7 August 2020|publisher=NHL.com|access-date=13 March 2021}}</ref>
For the 2020–21 season, Protas was loaned to HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).<ref name="Loan"/> He had 18 points in 58 games, and an additional 4 points in 5 playoff games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://paherald.sk.ca/2021/03/11/gotaas-excited-to-return-to-the-ice/|title=Gotaas excited to return to the ice|last=Punkari|first=Lucas|date=11 March 2021|work=Prince Albert Herald|location=Prince Albert, Saskatchewan|access-date=13 March 2021|archive-date=October 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012172454/https://paherald.sk.ca/2021/03/11/gotaas-excited-to-return-to-the-ice/|url-status=dead}}</ref> With Minsk's season over, Protas was reassigned to the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' American Hockey League affiliate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-re-assign-aliaksei-protas-to-hershey/c-322651906|title=Capitals Re-assign Aliaksei Protas to Hershey|date=18 March 2021|publisher=NHL.com|access-date=18 March 2021}}</ref>
During the 2021–22 NHL season, Protas was called up to the Capitals,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/capitals-alexei-protas-called-up/|title=Capitals' Alexei Protas: Called up|date=November 10, 2021|publisher=cbssports.com|access-date=December 21, 2021}}</ref> and he scored his first career NHL goal on 28 November 2021, during a 4–2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ausports.net/aliaksei-protas-scores-the-first-nhl-goal-after-diverting-the-puck-from-tony-deangelo-and-in/|title=Aliaksei Protas scores the first NHL goal after diverting the puck from Tony DeAngelo and in - AU Sports|date=November 28, 2021|publisher=ausports.net|access-date=December 21, 2021|archive-date=December 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221191919/https://ausports.net/aliaksei-protas-scores-the-first-nhl-goal-after-diverting-the-puck-from-tony-deangelo-and-in/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 19 January 2024, Protas signed a five-year contract extension with the Capitals, carrying an average annual value of $3.375 million through the 2028–29 season.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-re-sign-aliaksei-protas#:~:text=The%20Washington%20Capitals%20have%20re,through%20the%202028%2D29%20season. | title = Capitals re-sign Aliaksei Protas | publisher = Washington Capitals | date = 19 January 2024 | accessdate = 19 January 2024 }}</ref>
On 11 March 2025, Protas recorded his first career hat-trick in a 7–4 win over the Anaheim Ducks.<ref>{{cite web |author=Nate |date=12 March 2025 |title=The Selfish One Trick Pony Alex Ovechkin Passed Up An Empty Netter To Assist On Aliaksei Protas' First Career Hat Trick |url=https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3540495/the-selfish-one-trick-pony-alex-ovechkin-passed-up-an-empty-netter-to-assist-on-aliaksei-protas-first-career-hat-trick |access-date=17 March 2025 |website=barstoolsports.com |publisher=Barstool Sports}}</ref>
During the 2024–25 season, Protas set career highs in goals (30), assists (36), and total points (66).<ref>{{cite web | title=Aliaksei Protas Stats and News | url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/player/aliaksei-protas-8481656 }}</ref>
==Personal life== Protas' younger brother, Ilya, was drafted by the Capitals in the third round of the 2024 NHL entry draft.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Silber |first1=Sammi |title=Capitals Move Up In Third Round To Take Ilya Protas, Younger Brother Of Aliaksei |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/news/washington-capitals-ilya-protas |website=thehockeynews.com |date=June 29, 2024 |access-date=29 June 2024}}</ref>
Protas and his wife, Tanya, have two daughters, Alisa (born 2023) and Viktoria (born 2026).<ref>{{cite web |title=«Хороший урок и опыт». Алексей Протас — о своем 5-м сезоне в НХЛ |url=https://betnews.by/horoshij-urok-i-opyt-aleksej-protas-o-svoem-5-m-sezone-v-nhl/ |website=betnews.by |date=2 May 2026 |access-date=2 May 2026}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Regular season and playoffs=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 2016–17 | Team Belarus U17 | BEL-2 | 4 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2017–18 | Team Belarus U17 | BEL-2 | 49 || 9 || 11 || 20 || 8 | 3 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 0 |- | 2018–19 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 61 || 11 || 29 || 40 || 4 | 23 || 12 || 10 || 22 || 6 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2018–19 | Prince Albert Raiders | MC | —|| —|| —| —|| —|| —|| 3|| 0|| 0|| 0|| 2 |- | 2019–20 | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL | 58 || 31 || 49 || 80 || 8 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2020–21 | Dinamo Minsk | KHL | 58 || 10 || 8 || 18 || 4 | 5 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 4 |- | 2020–21 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 16 || 2 || 5 || 7 || 2 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2021–22 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 42 || 8 || 16 || 24 || 10 | 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 |- | 2021–22 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 33 || 3 || 6 || 9 || 0 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2022–23 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 58 || 4 || 11 || 15 || 12 | — || — || — || — || — |- | 2022–23 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 9 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 0 | 20 || 5 || 8 || 13 || 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2023–24 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 78 || 6 || 23 || 29 || 8 | 4 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 0 |- | 2024–25 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 76 || 30 || 36 || 66 || 18 | 6 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2025–26 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 76 || 25 || 27 || 52 || 20 | — || — || — || — || — |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"| KHL totals ! 58 !! 10 !! 8 !! 18 !! 4 ! 5 !! 1 !! 3 !! 4 !! 4 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3"| NHL totals ! 321 !! 68 !! 103 !! 171 !! 58 ! 10 !! 1 !! 3 !! 4 !! 0 |}
===International=== {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="102" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM |- | 2018 | Belarus | U18 | 8th | 5 || 1 || 3 || 4 || 0 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2019 | Belarus | WJC-D1 | DNQ | 5 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 0 |- | 2020 | Belarus | WJC-D1 | DNQ | 5 || 4 || 3 || 7 || 6 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2021 | Belarus | WC | 15th | 6 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 0 |- | 2022 | Belarus | OGQ | DNQ | 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4"| Junior totals ! 15 !! 7 !! 9 !! 16 !! 6 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="4"| Senior totals ! 9 !! 0 !! 3 !! 3 !! 2 |}
==Awards and honours== {| class="wikitable" ! Honour ! Year ! |- ! colspan="3"|WHL |- | Ed Chynoweth Cup | 2019 | |- | First All-Star Team (East) | 2020 | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://whl.ca/article/whl-announces-2019-20-conference-first-all-star-teams |publisher=Western Hockey League |title=WHL announces 2019-20 Conference First All-Star Teams |date=2020-04-07 |accessdate=2022-07-25}}</ref> |- ! colspan="3"|Belarus |- | 2021 Belarus Cup – Champion | 2021 | |- ! colspan="3"|AHL |- | Calder Cup | 2023 | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/sweeter-by-the-dozen-hershey-wins-12th-cup |title=Sweeter by the dozen: Hershey wins 12th Cup |publisher=American Hockey League |date=June 22, 2023 |accessdate=June 22, 2023 |archive-date=22 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622085304/https://theahl.com/sweeter-by-the-dozen-hershey-wins-12th-cup |url-status=dead }}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{icehockeystats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Protas, Alexei}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:Belarusian ice hockey centres Category:HC Dinamo Minsk players Category:Hershey Bears players Category:Sportspeople from Vitebsk Category:Ice hockey people from Vitebsk region Category:Prince Albert Raiders players Category:Washington Capitals draft picks Category:Washington Capitals players Category:21st-century Belarusian sportsmen