Ilya Protas did whatever his coach, Aliaksei Protas, told him to do over the summer: 'You see how he works and you've got to work the same way'

"(I focused on) what my coach told me to do - it was my brother," the younger Protas said at Capitals Rookie Camp on Friday. "So what he wanted me to do, I did."

""Yeah, sometimes (he's demanding)," Ilya told reporters with a laugh, "but it doesn't go great. We always - being with each other at the practices - kind of yell. He yells more at me, though."

""Probably most of (what Aliaksei told me to do) was conditioning and physical, stuff in gym," he said. "Because my next step, I want to make pro hockey. And I've got to be ready - my body and physicality is a big part of it."

Ilya Protas spent his offseason training with older brother and Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas, following breakout seasons for both. Aliaksei had a 66-point season while Ilya scored 124 points in the OHL and earned Second All-Star Team honors. The offseason work focused largely on conditioning and physical development in the gym to prepare Ilya for a potential jump to professional hockey. The brothers maintain a close relationship with direct, demanding coaching and frequent, loud practice interactions. Ilya's roster destination this season will depend on his performance at Capitals rookie camp. He is not bound to the NHL-CHL transfer agreement that normally affects CHL-drafted players.

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