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Ilya Protas just showed the ultimate respect to his brother Aliaksei
Photo credit: Capitals Outsider
Ilya Protas, fresh off a stellar rookie OHL season with the Windsor Spitfires, will add some high-end skill and playmaking ability to the Bears' lineup as they begin their quest for a third straight Calder Cup Championship.
After joining the AHL Hershey Bears on Friday, Ilya Protas will pay tribute to his older brother Aliaksei by rocking the same jersey number as him, #40.
Ian Oland from RMNB writes that Aliaksei Protas last wore the No. 40 jersey for the Hershey Bears on June 21, 2023, helping the team capture its twelfth Calder Cup title. He tied for third in team playoff scoring, recording 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) over 20 games. Following that success, he made the full jump to the NHL with the Washington Capitals for the 2023-24 season.
"Ilya is joining the Bears, likely as a reserve, after finishing his rookie season in the OHL earlier in the week. As a member of the Windsor Spitfires, Ilya finished second in league scoring during the regular season with 124 points (50 goals, 74 assists) in 61 games and led the league in postseason points with 25 (5 goals, 20 assists) in 12 games, at the time of his elimination in the second round." -Oland
Protas and the Spitfires suffered a stunning collapse in the second round of the OHL playoffs, getting reverse swept by the Kitchener Rangers after taking a 3-0 series lead and then dropping four straight games.
The 18-year-old forward was recently honored with the William Hanley Trophy, awarded each year to the OHL's most sportsmanlike player. His impressive stretch of six consecutive multi-point games in March also earned him OHL Player of the Month honors.
Last June, the Capitals traded up in the third round of the NHL Draft to pick Ilya, with his older brother Aliaksei watching proudly from the stands.
Hershey is aiming to become just the second team in AHL history to win three consecutive Calder Cups.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 26 | 53 ANSWERS Ilya Protas just showed the ultimate respect to his brother Aliaksei Will Ilya Protas and the Spitfires win a third straight Calder Cup championship this spring? | ||
| yes | 37 | 69.8 % |
| no | 16 | 30.2 % |
| List of polls | ||