It's now confirmed for the Capitals as major reinforcements arrive in Washington

Ilya Protas isn't just another prospect fighting for a roster spot this camp. The Washington Capitals already see him as their answer at third-line center.

At just 20 years old, Protas walks into camp as the favorite for that job, and GM Chris Patrick isn't hiding it.

Patrick said he's struggled to identify who else would start the season in that spot, given what Protas showed in the NHL and in the AHL last year.

Protas dominated as a Hershey Bears rookie, posting 66 points in 69 games with 29 goals and 37 assists, and won the AHL's rookie of the year award.

Then came four games with Washington to close the season. Four points, including a three-point night in a 6-3 win over Pittsburgh.

That sample size is tiny. But it convinced the Capitals that Protas isn't overwhelmed by NHL speed.

Washington drafted him as a winger, but the organization now sees him as a natural center, and Protas himself says the middle is where he actually belongs.

Washington still has a safety net if Protas struggles

That center spot slots him directly behind Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois, a real role, not an audition.

Strome posted 58 points in 80 games last season, and Dubois added 19 points in just 29 games, giving Washington a deep enough middle to not rush Protas if he struggles early.

Justin Sourdif is the direct fallback option, while Boone Jenner, signed this summer to a four-year, $23,000,000 deal, can also slide to center if needed.

At 6-foot-6 and around 230 pounds, Protas already has the frame teams covet. His older brother Aliaksei, also 6-foot-6, plays alongside him in Washington.

Aliaksei posted 52 points in 76 games last season, so there's already a family blueprint for turning size into production in this same locker room.

Head coach Spencer Carbery now has to decide how much rope to give a 20-year-old in a real NHL role from day one.

Protas knows the four-game preview means nothing if he can't back it up over 82 games. Camp is about to tell Washington exactly how real this plan is.

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