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Washington Capitals announce exciting move with top prospect call-up
Photo credit: NoVa Caps
The Hershey Bears are eyeing a third consecutive Calder Cup this season, and the team has recently announced an exciting transaction that will excite Washington Capitals fans.
Sources confirm that the Hershey Bears have officially called up top prospect Ilya Protas to bolster their playoff championship push.
Hershey Bears re-call Ilya Protas
NEWS | The Capitals have re-assigned forward Ilya Protas from the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to the Hershey Bears.
Ilya, younger brother of Washington Capitals sniper, Aliaksei Protas, has been a dynamic forward for the Spitfires all season.
According to the NHL, Protas, 18, ranked second in the OHL in scoring with 124 points (50g, 74a) in 61 games with Windsor this season.
The 6'5», 200-pound forward also ranked second in the OHL in plus-minus (+58), tied for second in assists and third in goals and game-winning goals (8). Protas became the first player since Alex DeBrincat in 2014-15 to score 50 goals in his first OHL season, while his 2.03 points-per-game rate was the highest by a Windsor player over a full season since Jason Spezza (2.09) in 2000-
During the 2023-24 season, Protas recorded 51 points (14g, 37a) in 37 games with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Protas led USHL rookies in assists and ranked tied for second among first-year players in power-play goals (6) and third in points. In addition, Protas led Des Moines in assists and power-play goals, while his 51 points ranked second on the team.
Ilya Protas, a third round draft pick by the Washington Capitals in 2024 has emerged as one of the top prospects in the organization.
In a recent interview, Ilya admitted that his ultimate goal is to win a Stanley Cup alongside his older brother, Aliaksei.
If Ilya continues to impress in the minors, that dream could become a reality in the near future.
More details to follow.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 26 | 107 ANSWERS Washington Capitals announce exciting move with top prospect call-up Do you think Ilya Protas could crack the Washington Capitals roster next season? | ||
| Yes | 84 | 78.5 % |
| No | 23 | 21.5 % |
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