Earlier in the month, Washington Capitals forward Ilya Protas had his debut in the NHL, posting an assist in the Caps’ 4-0 win in Toronto on April 9. Then he continued with two games against the Penguins, posting a goal and two assists in the first game, which the Capitals won 6-3. He went scoreless as the Caps shut out the Penguins 3-0 on April 12, but that makes for four points in his first three NHL games. A strong debut for the Belarusian forward, who was drafted 75th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
In this translated interview, originally appearing on the Belarusian website betnews.by, Ilya Protas discusses his NHL debut game, playing with his brother and Alex Ovechkin, and his goals for the future.
** You can enjoy Protas’ interview in his native Russian by Sergei Malyshko on betnews.by here **
Protas’ Debut Emotions
“The game ended a while ago, but the emotions still haven’t settled,” Protas said about his NHL debut. “You keep thinking about it, replaying moments in your mind. It’s a little calmer now, but still… Congratulatory messages keep coming in, and that feels really nice. Nothing but positive emotions. A great event. I’m very happy it happened.”
Despite the emotions, the forward refuses to assess his debut. “I’d rather not do that either,” he explained. “It was my first game at this level, and I can’t grade myself. Better to ask the coaching staff. What I will say is that with every shift I felt more confident. I think I gradually adjusted to the pace and speed of the game, and it became easier.”
Related: Ilya Protas to Make NHL Debut With Washington Capitals
Protas’ first shift lasted 17 seconds, during which he lost both faceoffs to John Tavares and then fell in front of goalie Logan Thompson. His nerves were probably not comfortable yet. “Yeah, these things happen,” he said. “But Tavares, as far as I know, is second in the league in faceoff percentage [he’s actually in 15th place]. A hugely respected player. I was actually happy to line up against him for the opening draw. Sure, I didn’t win it, but I got my revenge later in the game. As for the fall, I don’t even remember what happened there. Yeah, the first shift was a bit of a mess, I’ll admit. But nothing to worry about.”
Dream Lineup
For his debut in the league, Protas had the honor of lining up alongside his brother and Alex Ovechkin. “I couldn’t have imagined it! I found out during the pregame announcement of the starting lineup. I was shaking a little, of course. I couldn’t have thought about this even as a kid. I was almost afraid to even let such a thought cross my mind, that I’d be on the same line as Lyokha and Alexander Mikhailovich [Ovechkin] in my debut game… Dreams do come true,” he concludes.
Playing for the Capitals comes with the pleasant side effect of being able to have Ovechkin by your side. “Even when I first arrived, he told me: a first game only happens once in your life, just work hard and enjoy it,” Protas recalled. “Right before the game started, in the hallway, he advised me not to worry, just play my game and everything would be fine. It meant a lot to get that kind of guidance from someone like him. And to start the game on his line on top of that — that made it even more special.”
Protas managed to record his first point in his first game, with his brother retrieving the milestone puck for him. “It was just incredible. I couldn’t have imagined that the two of us would be in the same organization, on the same line. And then it happened that we got points together at the same time. When we came to the bench, I thought: What just happened? An unreal feeling.”
The forward also got onto Washington’s first power-play unit in the game. Aliaksei gave him some grief about that, it seems. Moreover, he’s been in the NHL for years but very rarely sees the ice with a man advantage. “Ha, yeah,” he smiles. “He said something like: ‘”‘Only in the NHL five minutes and already on the power play, while I’ve been here five years and they still don’t put me on.’
“So yeah, he kind of took a shot at me. I had asked him a lot about the nuances of Washington’s power play, because he knows very well how the team operates, especially since he does get some time on the special teams himself. Thanks to my brother for the tips.”
He spent most of the game on a line with his brother and Tom Wilson. Commentators Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin joked that the NHL hadn’t seen such a physically imposing line since the legendary Philadelphia “Legion of Doom” of John LeClair, Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg. “Honestly, it was easy for me to play with Tom and Lyokha,” he said. “Tom is one of the toughest players in the NHL and does an enormous amount of work. And on top of that, he scored 30 goals this season and won Olympic silver… You could go on listing his achievements for a long time.”
“My brother also made things easier for me. When I came into the offensive zone, I could see him positioning himself lower, essentially covering for me. I was nervous at first, but watching how my linemates helped me, I kept feeling more and more confident.”
As a top scorer in Hershey, maybe Protas deserved to be called up earlier. But he doesn’t hold a grudge for that. “Everything happens for a reason,” he says. “That’s a principle I follow in my career. I think this was the ideal moment for my debut. I was happy to play my first game in Toronto specifically, in this mecca of hockey. Especially given that I got to take the opening faceoff with my brother and Alexander Mikhailovich. That stays with you for life.”
“As for not being called up earlier… I honestly didn’t dwell on it. I understood that I had to focus on the next game, and that if I earned the call-up, it would come.”
He joked that to finally get called up to the main team, he had to put up six points in a single American Hockey League (AHL) game for the Bears. “Exactly!” he laughs. “A lot of the guys in Hershey were ribbing me about that. They said Washington had no choice anymore.”
Looking Ahead
At this point in the season, and after an NHL debut, it’s hard to have personal goals. “No personal goal as such,” Protas confirmed. “I just want to get better with every game, make gradual progress. The early stages in the world’s best league aren’t easy. But I’ll try to improve in all areas so the coaching staff knows they can count on me in different game situations.”
His first season in pro hockey was very good. “I’m happy with my progress throughout the season,” the forward confirmed. “Not so much in terms of points or statistical numbers, but in terms of how my game feels. I could feel it getting easier and easier in the AHL. I tried to develop every aspect of my game in all three zones, so that it would pay off in the future.”
“Even having played in the NHL for the first time now, I understand how much every small detail matters. At this level, it’s the fine margins that make the difference. I’ll do my best to stay in Washington for the rest of the regular season and, if possible, play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
Hardly did Protas expect the season to go this well, back in August or September. “That’s true. I didn’t expect the season to be successful, because I understood that the AHL is a fast, physical league with a lot of skilled players. And people told me that the jump from junior hockey to the AHL is a pretty tough step. Some even said it’s harder than going from the AHL to the NHL. But everyone experiences that transition differently. And I’m happy with how I handled it.” And after such a strong debut, he’s definitely ready for more.
