PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said one or two players could possibly return to the Penguins lineup Thursday against Montreal at Consol Energy Center.

Forwards Sidney Crosby (concussion), Evgeni Malkin (knee), Tyler Kennedy (concussion) and Dustin Jeffrey (knee) and defenseman Brooks Orpik (abdominal) have been out of the lineup. Defenseman Kris Letang was recently suspended for two games because of an illegal hit and defenseman Brian Strait, who was called up because of Letang’s absence, left Tuesday night’s game at Minnesota with an apparent arm injury.

Any player returning to action would be a huge help.

“Pick one. I’ll take any one of them,” Bylsma said to the Post-Gazette when asked who might be a likely candidate to return Thursday.

Bylsma didn’t disclose who might be ready to return.

“I don’t really have a clear, definitive answer on that, but possibly one or two,” he said. “Possibly, maybe one guy.”

What’s certain, though, is that it won’t be Crosby. Kennedy was evaluated and diagnosed with a concussion and is set to be re-evaluated back in Pittsburgh, which suggests he won’t be available, either.

That means the most likely players to return Thursday would come down to Malkin, Jeffrey and Orpik.