The list of players in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol dropped to a season-low three, despite the additions of Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Nashville's Ryan Johansen.

San Jose's Tomas Hertl is the only other player on the list after entering his seventh day in the protocol.

Arizona's John Hayden, Detroit's Patrik Nemeth and New York Rangers' Kaapo Kakko, who spent 12 days on the list, were all cleared Tuesday.

The protocol list has remained in single digits for each of the past nine days and is down from a season-high of 59 on Feb. 12.

In a related development, 17 of the NHL's 31 teams now have plans in place allowing a limited number of fans to attend home games after the Philadelphia Flyers announced they will begin doing so at 15% of their arena's capacity.