Photo: CHL.com
The Washington Capitals announced on Wednesday morning that they have signed center Aliaksei Protas to a three-year entry-level contract, which carries a cap hit of $716,666. The Capitals selected Protas, 18, in the third-round (91st overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. Protas, a native of Vitesbk, Belarus, posted 11 goals, 40 points, and a +24 rating in 61 games last season and 12 goals, 22 points, and a +12 rating in 23 playoff games.
From The Caps
The Washington Capitals have signed forward Aliaksei Protas to a three-year, entry-level contract, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. Protas’ contract will carry an average annual value of $716,666.
The Capitals selected Protas with their third round pick, 91st-overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Protas, 18, was ranked 16th among centers and 30th overall among North American forwards by NHL Central Scouting. Teammates with Brett Leason, who the Capitals selected in the second round (56th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, on Prince Albert, Protas registered 40 points (11g, 29a) in 61 games last season. The 6’5″, 205-pound center ranked seventh among WHL rookies in points and led all WHL rookies in playoff points with 22 (12g, 10a) in 23 games.
The Vitebsk, Belarus, native represented Belarus at the 2018 Under-18 World Championship, recording four points (1g, 3a) in four games, and also earned a silver medal at the 2019 Division 1 – Group A World Junior Championship, recording five points (2g, 3a) in five games. Protas became the first Capitals draft pick from Belarus.
The Capitals acquired the 91st overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft by trading their 118th and 129th overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft to New Jersey.
By Harrison Brown
Nice. Caps impressed by him at post draft camp. They need some of these forwards to be more than barely 4th liners like the recent drafts. Would be great if all 3 forwards from this draft surprise.
The Caps needed to shift to drafting forwards this year, because in the last few years, they’ve used so many high draft picks (when they’ve had them) on defensemen, plus Samsonov and Vanacek, plus one of the forwards they did draft high got traded for nothing. This year’s trio do look promising. McMichael’s speed and skill give him a high ceiling, and the fact that Protas worked his way up a deep Prince Albert lineup to produce like that in the playoffs speaks well of his character AND potential. Protas and Leason have good speed and skills for their size. The only cloud on my optimism about the three is Leason being a 20 year old draftee. A lot of those end up having low ceilings (think Matt Pettinger), but hopefully Leason is the late-bloomer his career so far suggests he is.
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