""He makes some great plays out there. Obviously, that one's a little lucky... but just his poise and patience with the puck, he's going to be a special player.""
"Protas's first apple came with 3:35 remaining in the first period, earning the primary assist on a Brett Leason power-play goal. In a somewhat awkward play, Protas muffed his initial one-touch pass from the left point. But he recaptured the loose puck, dangled into the slot, and then found Leason at the far post.""
"Protas then earned an assist on the game-winning goal scored by Bogdan Trineyev, with 2:49 remaining in the second period. As the biscuit was rimmed around the boards, Protas touched the puck forward to Andrew Cristall, who was skating down the right side of the ice."
Ilya Protas, at just 19 years old, was the Hershey Bears' standout player during the regular season, scoring 29 goals and accumulating 66 points in 69 games. His exceptional performance earned him the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 season, making him only the second player in franchise history to receive this honor. Protas continued to excel in the postseason, contributing significantly to the Bears' victory in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
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