Washington Capitals select Ilya Protas, brother of Aliaksei, at 75th overall after taking the pick from the New Jersey Devils – NoVa Caps

Photo: DobberProspects

The Washington Capitals selected left wing Ilya Protas with the 75th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday morning at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, after trading the 82nd and 148th picks of 2024 to the New Jersey Devils for the selection. The 17-year-old is the younger brother of Washington center Aliaksei Protas.

Ilya is 1.93 meters tall and is from Vitebsk, Belarus. He recorded 37 assists and 51 points in 61 games with the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers last season. Protas led all USHL rookies in assists and ranked third in points.

During the 2022-23 season, Protas scored 24 goals and recorded 42 points for the Belarus U17 and U18 teams.

NHL Central Scouting ranked Protas 49th among North American skaters.

Fast absorption: “Without foot speed as an advantage, Protas developed a refined play and off-puck game. He provides short support for his teammate, scans ahead of time and moves the puck immediately upon receiving it. When he’s not connecting with one-touch or redirection passes, he slows down to draw the defense before sliding the puck through.” (Elite Prospects)

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The website called Protas a facilitator and creator who has the potential to score 15 goals and 55 points per season. However, his conservative points projection was 10 goals and 30 points. Protas is expected to be NHL-ready in 4-5 seasons.

“When Des Moines failed to qualify for the USHL playoffs, Protas’ impressive rookie season came to an end shortly after our April rankings, where we first praised his straightforward and effective ball-handling skills. Finishing the season with 8 goals and 20 assists in his last 25 games, Protas established himself as one of the more promising playmakers in the USHL. As he learns to add complexity to his game and add some agility, Protas looks like a promising scoring option for the bottom six. Don’t be surprised if he finds himself on the NHL scene soon, just like his brother before him.”

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RANKINGS

Ranked #78 by THN/KENNEDY
Ranked #140 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #68 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #292 by FHOCKEY
Ranked #107 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #49 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #149 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #99 by DOBBERPROSPECTS

By Harrison Brown