Raiders Select Protas in CHL Import Draft
June 28, 2018 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release
Prince Albert, SK - The Prince Albert Raiders are pleased to announce the selection of 2001-born forward Aliaksei Protas with the 26th overall pick in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.
Protas, who hails from Vitebsk, Belarus, is listed at 6'3" and 179 lbs. He suited up for the Belarus U17 Team in the Vysshaya Liga, which is the development league for the Belarusian Extraleague. In 49 games, he scored nine goals and added 11 assists.
"Aliaksei is a versatile player who can play on the wing or at centre," Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt said. "He fills a couple of needs for us. He can come in and play centre and provides size up front."
Internationally, Protas represented his country at the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championship in April. He scored a goal and chipped in three assists in five games at the tournament as Belarus was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Finland.
Protas also participated at the Mac's AAA Midget World Invitational Hockey Tournament in Calgary in December, scoring twice and adding three assists in four games.
"We were lucky to see him play live at the Mac's Tournament," said Hunt. "He's already played meaningful minutes, whether it was at the Mac's or at the World U18s. He's also already tried out for Belarus' World Junior team. We're excited to get him here and continue his development."
Player Profile
Aliaksei Protas
Position: Centre
Born: January 6, 2001
Hometown: Vitebsk, Belarus
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 179 lbs
Shoots: Left
Previous: Team Belarus U17 (Vysshaya Liga)
2017-18 Stats: 49 GP / 9 G / 11 A / 20 PTS
Prince Albert Raiders season tickets for the 2018-19 campaign are available for purchase. Visit the Raider Office or call 306-764-5348 for more information.
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