Ilya Protas was named to the 2024-25 OHL Second All-Star Team on Friday afternoon. The highly-touted Capitals prospect was voted onto the team by the league’s general managers.
Protas was one of four Windsor Spitfires to receive postseason recognition, with linemate Liam Greentree being named to the First All-Star Team and Ethan Belchetz and Carter Hicks being named to the Second All-Rookie Team.
Per the OHL, Protas is the first Belarusian player voted to one of the league’s All-Star teams since 2006-07, when London Knights forward Sergei Kostitsyn earned the honor.
Protas, the younger brother of Caps forward Aliaksei Protas, was one of the OHL’s top players in his first year in the league, finishing second in scoring with 124 points (50g, 74a) in 61 games. He kept that level of production up in the playoffs, ending the second round atop the postseason scoring leaderboard with 25 points (5g, 20a) in 12 games.
The 18-year-old forward won the William Hanley Trophy in April, presented to the OHL’s most sportsmanlike player. He also had six consecutive multi-point games during March, which earned him OHL Player of the Month.
Protas finished the year as a black ace with the Hershey Bears for their 2025 AHL playoff run. He signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Capitals after completing last July’s development camp.
