The Tampa Bay Lightning have placed forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, defenceman Mikhail Sergachev and goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brian Elliott, the team announced Sunday.
Assistant coach Rob Zettler was also placed in protocol.
They join head coach Jon Cooper, who entered protocol on Dec. 21.
The absence of Vasilevskiy and Elliott, in particular, could cause the team problems as they serve as the No. 1 and No. 2 goalies. No other netminder has made an appearance for the Lightning this season.
Amir Miftakhov, Hugo Alnefelt and Maxime Lagace have all played for Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch, posting .907, .864 and .861 save percentages, respectively.
The Lightning are one of several clubs that have had no choice but to ice an undermanned roster this season because of players being out because of the virus and the need for the team to stay under the salary cap.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported earlier on Sunday that the NHL and NHLPA are working on COVID-19 roster protection that includes optional use of a taxi-squad through the NHL all-star break, emergency call-ups for players making under $1 million and the freedom to add a goaltender if a club has less than two healthy due to the virus.
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