In the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals selected Ilya Protas with the 75th pick overall. The Belarussian forward is dominating the OHL and showing all of the skills required to be a game-changer at the next level.
Protas, a 6-foot-5 native of Vitebsk Belarus, came to North America last year after playing minor league hockey in his home country.
He played a critical role for the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL. He and fellow rookie Benjamin Kevan led the team in scoring with 50-plus points a piece. At the end of the year, Protas was third in rookie scoring.
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Shortly after the draft the Washington Capitals demonstrated their faith in Protas by signing him to a three-year entry-level contract with an annual average value of $889,167.
With a professional contract in his pocket, Protas left the USHL and joined a Windsor Spitfires squad that had just finished second last in the OHL. It cannot be understated how large a role Protas played in reviving Windsor this season.
What Does Protas Bring?
Protas’ size is striking and in many ways, it opens up the rest of his game. His 6-foot-5 frame ensures defenders can’t move him from the front of the net while also enabling the playmaking forward to shield the puck.
In the following clip, Protas goes to the net and screens the London goaltender before potting the rebound, perfectly illustrating how his size impacts play in front of the net.
In the next clip, he uses his body to shield the puck and keep it away from Owen Griffin before powering to the net and scoring. These are critical skills to succeed at the NHL level.
His stickhandling and skating abilities are both strong. When these skills are combined with his puck protection he becomes very difficult to stop in open ice. The following clip illustrates this perfectly.
Protas’ best asset is his shot. His pinpoint accuracy allows him to pick corners and beat goaltenders from all over the ice.
Despite his impressive size and hands, Windsor doesn’t tend to use him in front of the net on the powerplay. His value as a shooter puts him on the wings where he routinely blasts pucks past goaltenders.
All of these skills bode well for Protas’ prospects with Washington. He projects as a skilled power forward with great upside.
Even better, he has the potential to outperform the third-round pick used to select him. Only time will tell, but Protas could well be looked back on as one of the biggest steals in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Revitalizing Windsor
Protas’ impressive skillset quickly landed him a spot next to Los Angeles Kings‘ prospect Liam Greentree. The pair are first and second in scoring on the team while combining for a stunning 158 points so far this year. That makes them one of the most lethal duos in the league.
Greentree and Protas eat up ice time for Windsor averaging more than 22 minutes a night. Head Coach Jerrod Smith uses the pair in all types of scenarios including the penalty kill.
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The impressive duo is bolstered by 2024 OHL Priority Selection first-overall pick Ethan Belchetz as well as Chicago Blackhawks‘ prospect A.J. Spellacy and top defenseman Anthony Cristoforo.
As a result, the Spitfires sit at the top of the West Division with 71 points. They are one of only three teams to have eclipsed 70 points with only Kitchener and London ahead of them.
Looking ahead at their schedule, the team plays Sarnia tonight and Brantford on Saturday. The game against the Bulldogs will be another opportunity for the Spitfires to test themselves against one of the top teams in the league.
