Protas, the Capitals' third-round choice, 91st overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft, recorded 18 points (10g, 8a) in 58 regular season games with Dinamo Minsk this season. The Vitebsk, Belarus, native ranked tied for fifth on the team in goals and tied for eighth in points, despite ranking 15th in time on ice per game (12:52) among Dinamo Minsk skaters with at least 30 games played.
Additionally, Protas recorded four points (1g, 3a) in five playoff games and was named Best Rookie of the KHL playoffs' first round.
Protas, 20, spent the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he recorded a combined 120 points (42g, 78a) in 119 games.
Protas finished the 2019-20 season with 80 points (31g, 49a) in 58 games and ranked ninth in the WHL in points. He 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).
The 6'6", 210-pound center led Prince Albert in goals, assists, points, plus/minus (37) and game winning goals (7) in 2019-20, while incurring eight penalty minutes, the fewest among the league's top-50 scorers. Protas was selected to the WHL's Eastern Conference First All-Star Team and was named the WHL Eastern Conference Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year.
