On February 7, Aliaksei Protas returned to Hershey’s Giant Center with his wife and daughter during the NHL’s Olympic break to watch his younger brother, Ilya, play for the Hershey Bears. The 25-year-old Capitals forward not only cheered on his 19-year-old Belarusian sibling, known as the team’s top prospect outside the NHL, but also debuted a new navy-blue hat featuring a detailed eagle patch and his nickname, “Pro.”
Protas wore this custom headwear while posing with Ilya after the game, highlighting his connection to both his family and the Capitals’ evolving brand identity.
Connection Between the Eagles and Capitals’ Branding Grows Stronger
The hat’s design draws inspiration from the Capitals’ Screaming Eagle logo, which has gained increased visibility as a team symbol in recent months. The organization even brought a live eagle to a game last October, a memorable moment for players like Brandon Duhaime. This avian theme has since woven into team culture, with players mimicking eagle talons during postgame celebrations in the locker room.
Custom Hats Link Capitals’ Protas With Malkin’s Goorin Bros. Tradition
Notably, Protas’ eagle hat was crafted by Goorin Bros., a renowned hat company popular in hockey circles, especially due to its connection with Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin. Malkin has been a longtime fan of Goorin Bros., famously wearing a custom hat adorned with a realistic penguin and his nickname, “Geno,” for the past five years. The company has since offered “Geno” penguin hats on their site, along with designs for Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.
Protas, a member of the Capitals’ Russian contingent, maintains a close friendship with Malkin. Years ago, the two Russians dined together at Malkin’s home alongside Capitals stars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Alex Alexeyev before a game between the Capitals and Penguins.
Behind the Scenes: The Origin of Protas’ Custom Eagle Hats
When asked if the hat was a collaboration between him and Malkin, Protas clarified the backstory:
No, no, no, I didn’t talk to him,
Protas said to RMNB’s Katie Adler.
Obviously I got connected through the guy who knows him really well, But no.
Protas further explained how he first discovered these hats:
I just saw those hats somewhere, back home (in Belarus), and I really liked them,
he shared.
So I came here (to DC), I started to buy those, wear those, and I really liked them. And I think my wife made [the Pro hat] through my friend. They connected to the guy, and he made those custom ones, and I realized this might be the nice team gifts. So I bought them for everybody. Not with my (name), but there’s different nicknames for the boys.
He added that some of the nicknames featured on the hats included Mikey, Willy, and Chucky, though nothing too elaborate.
Teammates Appreciate Their Personalized Caps
Players received the custom eagle hats with enthusiasm. Capitals forward Dylan Strome, whose hat reads “ZINI,” expressed his delight:
I was surprised when we got it. It was nice. I like them a lot. Really nice of him. Nice guy.
Strome also identified Jakob Chychrun’s cap nickname as his favorite:
“Strip!” he said.
Anthony Beauvillier is frequently seen wearing his personalized headgear in the locker room. His hat shows a variant spelling of his nickname, “Bovi” instead of Beauvi.
Other nickname stories remain more mysterious. Defenseman Matt Roy, wearing a hat labeled “Cat,” admitted confusion when asked about it:
It’s just the nickname I got for some reason.
I don’t know the story behind it,
Roy added,
so you’ll have to ask Dowder.
Protas Extends Hat Gifts to Hershey Prospect and Entire Capitals Roster
Every player on the Capitals was gifted one of these custom caps, as was Ilya Protas on the Hershey Bears. Ilya confirmed the gesture:
Oh, that one, yeah, he gave me one,
Ilya said.
Mine says Lil Pro, but I didn’t know he gave it to the team.
Aliaksei Protas remains modest about the originality of the idea:
I know other teams did the same thing,
he admitted.
Meaning and Impact of the Customized Caps within the Team
While Protas’ gift was far more budget-friendly than the Hublot watches Alex Ovechkin recently gave after breaking the NHL goals record, it holds sentimental value among the players. Aliaksei spoke about the significance of this welcome gesture:
I think boys loved it, pretty much,
Protas said.
I think it’s a nice gift. Even if you don’t want to wear it or something, you can give it to family members or something. I think it’s still pretty cool. And, I mean, obviously, you never know what’s part of the hockey, but people come and go, and it’s just nice, memorable gift, I believe, just with the eagle and stuff. I think it’s pretty nice.
These custom eagle hats, inspired by both team spirit and the legacy of Evgeni Malkin’s Goorin Bros. hats, represent an increasingly meaningful symbol for the Capitals as they deepen their brand and camaraderie within the roster.
From roarin' to screechin' #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/qABNk8yg4A
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 1, 2026
Cat got ahold of the mic#ALLCAPS | @CoupangInc pic.twitter.com/zZzZNvu99K
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 1, 2026
Found ourselves a Roysie Cat#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/T31gHTkHgU
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 2, 2026
