Raiders’ Aliaksei Protas named CHL Player of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that forward Aliaksei Protas of the Prince Albert Raiders is the CHL Player of the Week for the sixth week of playoff action ending April 28 with seven points in four games including six goals and one assist with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.
After being held off the scoresheet in consecutive contests, the Prince Albert rookie stepped up with back-to-back hat-tricks, beginning with a four-point outing as he tallied on each goal in the Raiders’ 4-0 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings in Game 5 to earn first-star recognition. Two nights later, the NHL draft eligible forward notched another hat-trick in a 4-2 win over the Oil Kings that sealed the WHL Eastern Conference Final in six games as Protas earned third-star honours. The win pushed the Raiders to the WHL Final for the first time since 1985, as the team now faces off against the Vancouver Giants for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Through 16 playoff appearances, Protas has collected 15 points, including a WHL-leading 11 goals. The native of Vitebsk, Belarus has emerged as one of the Raiders most impressive players through the playoffs after he wrapped up the regular season with a modest 11 goals and 29 assists for 40 points in 61 games. The 18-year-old ranks 44th among North American skaters by Central Scouting ahead of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Also considered for the award this week was Edmonton Oilers draft pick and Guelph Storm defenceman Dmitri Samorukov, who tallied four goals and four assists for eight points in four games, including his first career hat-trick, to help his squad to a seven-game series victory over the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL Western Conference Final, as well as Montreal Canadiens prospect and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies forward Joel Teasdale, who notched one goal and four assists for five points in his past two outings to help his club sweep the Rimouski Oceanic in the third round of the QMJHL playoffs.
2018-19 CHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Aliaksei Protas (Prince Albert Raiders)
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Nick Suzuki (Guelph Storm)
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Raphael Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads)
Mar. 25 – Mar. 31: Adam Boqvist (London Knights)
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Evan Bouchard (London Knights)
2018-19 CHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Greg Meireles (Kitchener Rangers)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Nate Schnarr (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Brayden Tracey (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Maxime Comtois (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Alexis Lafreniere (Rimouski Oceanic)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Samuel Asselin (Halifax Mooseheads)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Ethan Crossman (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Kyle Maksimovich (Erie Otters)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Ivan Chekhovich (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Gregor MacLeod (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Brett Leason (Prince Albert Raiders)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Peter Abbandonato (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Jason Robertson (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Joachim Blichfeld (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Ivan Chekhovich (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Dawson Davidson (Saskatoon Blades)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Luka Burzan (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)
