Capitals Loan Aliaksei Protas to Dinamo Minsk (KHL)

The Washington Capitals have loaned center Aliaksei Protas to Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) to begin the 2020-21 season, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today. It is expected that the Capitals will recall Protas to North America upon either the commencement of the Western Hockey League's (WHL) 2020-21 season or the Capitals' 2020-21 training camp.

The Capitals selected Protas with their third-round pick, 91st overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.

Protas, 19, finished the 2019-20 season with 80 points (31g, 49a) in 58 games with Prince Albert (WHL). The Vitebsk, Belarus, native ranked ninth in the WHL in points and was the highest scoring European-born player.

The 6'6", 210-pound center became the third European player in Prince Albert's history to record 80 points, joining Leon Draisaitl (2013-14: 105 points) and Milan Kraft (1998-99: 86 points). With four games remaining prior to the WHL's season cancelation, Protas was on pace for 85 points (33g, 52a). His 52 assists would have been the second-most by a European-born player in Prince Albert's history (Draisaitl: 67a in 2013-14).

Protas led the Raiders in both goals and assists this season. His seven game winning goals tied for seventh in the WHL. He recorded a point in 41 of his 58 games and led Prince Albert with 27 multi-point games.