The news of Aliaksei Protas being assigned to AHL Hershey on Tuesday marked a symbolic conclusion to a whirlwind world tour for the 6’-6” Belarusian center. After playing for five different teams over the last 12 months, he will now get to relax a bit and spend the next six to eight months working on his game with one team.

The 2020-21 season was jam-packed with hockey for Protas. While many prospects were struggling to find ice time due to the world-wide pandemic, Protas would play from September straight through May.

He began his mega-season as a loan to Dinamo Minsk in the KHL, recording 10 goals and eight assists in 58 regular season games and one goal and three assists in five postseason games before being re-assigned to Hershey in April. Protas worked on his pro game and honed it by the end of his KHL season. He even took home a few awards and set a record.

As soon as Dinamo Minsk was eliminated in the second round of the KHL playoffs, it was time to set his sights to the west. Protas would record two goals and five assists in 16 AHL games while playing for the Bears in Chocolatetown.

Protas would then immediately exit Hershey for the World Championship in Riga, Latvia, and record two assists in six games played with the Belarus National team. It wasn’t Vitebsk, but it was close.

After a few months off, and marrying his longtime girlfriend, Protas returned to work. He played for the Belarus National team in their Olympic Qualifying tournament in late summer. He recorded an assist on a game-winning goal in the four-team tournament.

Time for a break? Hardly. Protas would next be one of 20 Capitals prospects to participate in the Capitals’ development camp held at MedStar Capitals Iceplex at the end of September.

He would follow that up by participating in the Capitals main training camp. He played in two NHL preseason games, recording a goal in one of those games, before he was assigned to Hershey on Tuesday.

[Aliaksei Protas: 2021 Annual Review and Forecast]

So in summary, over the last 12 months Protas played in 58 games for Dinamo Minsk in the KHL (10g, 8a), 16 games with the Hershey Bears in the AHL (2g, 5a), six games with the Belarus National team in the World Championship (0g, 2a), three games with the Belarus National team in their Olympic qualification tournament (0g, 1a), participated in Capitals development camp and played in two preseason games for the Capitals, recording a goal in his first game. More than 85 games in total for five different teams.

Prior to the onslaught of the pandemic, Protas was scheduled to return to the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL, but the pandemic would create havoc with hockey plans and scheduling world-wide. Most would lose playing time, while a rare few made the most of it.

The last 12 months may have been the most beneficial year of development for a Capitals prospect in many years, if not ever. It’s hard to image one better. All in a time when most of the Capitals prospects were scrounging for games.

How he found time to get married is the real head-scratcher. I feel like a slacker.

By Jon Sorensen

RELATED ARTICLES
Aliaksei Protas Has Made The Most Of His Opportunities Over The Past Year
The First Dance: A Look At Aliaksei Protas’ First AHL Game
Connor McMichael And Aliaksei Protas Score In Bears 3-2 Win Over Devils
Aliaksei Protas Scores First Career AHL Goal, As Bears Down Penguins, 2-0
Capitals Re-Assign Aliaksei Protas to Hershey
Aliaksei Protas Returning To Capitals System
From KHL To AHL: An Interview With Washington Capitals’ Prospect Aliaksei Protas [Translated]
Aliaksei Protas Named “Best Rookie” In First Round Of KHL Playoffs
Aliaksei Protas And Alex Alexeyev Are Heading To The KHL Playoffs
Aliaksei Protas and Brett Leason: Former Linemates On Different Paths To The NHL
Alexei Protas Participates in ‘World Day Of Pets’ Promotional Events for HC Dynamo Minsk
Aliaksei Protas Is Heating Up In The KHL – Two Goals, Two Assists in Last Four Games
Aliaksei Protas Wins ‘Rookie Of The Week’ Award In KHL
Aliaksei Protas Sets Dinamo Minsk Franchise Record For Most Goals By A 19-Year-Old In A Single Season
A Look At Billet Family Life With Capitals Prospect Aliaksei Protas
Aliaksei Protas Ties Dinamo Minsk Franchise Record For Most Goals By A 19 Year-Old
Aliaksei Protas Fined For Contact With An Official In KHL Game
Aliaksei Protas Scores Second Career Goal in KHL
Aliaksei Protas On Being Drafted By The Capitals, Getting A Stick From Alex Ovechkin And Playing In The NHL
Aliaksei Protas Discusses His First Game In The KHL
Capitals Prospect Aliaksei Protas Ends Scoring Drought In Dramatic Fashion
Capitals Sign 2019 Third-Round Pick, Aliaksei Protas To Three-Year Entry-Level Contract
Capitals Take Aliaksei Protas 91st Overall At 2019 NHL Draft
Interview with “The Viper”, Aliaksei Protas
Damien Riat Has Four-Goal Game, Brian Pinho, Aliaksei Protas Score Twice: Week 23 Capitals Prospect Report
Garrett Pilon Continues Hot Streak, Aliaksei Protas Scores Two Goals: Week 22 Capitals Prospect Report
Connor McMichael Advances With Team Canada; Aliaksei Protas Shines In Junior Qualifying, Vitek Vanecek Continues To Heat Up: Week 13 Capitals Prospect Report