Goaltender Robert Esche and defenceman Joni Pitkanen moved closer to returning to the lineup after practising with the team on Monday. Both players have been out since December.

"I feel really good," said Esche, who hasn't played since he aggravated a groin injury on Dec. 15. "There's still some discomfort, but it's normal."

Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock said Esche possibly could return for Saturday's game at Pittsburgh. Given how well Antero Niittymaki has played during Esche's absence, there's no rush.

"We're being very careful with Esche," Hitchcock said. "He won't come back until he's 101 per cent ready. We need him back. You can't ask one goaltender to play all the games. That's impossible."

Niittymaki started each game during the longest road trip in team history in which the Atlantic Division-leading Flyers went 8-2-1. Overall, the rookie is 17-6-5 with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. He has been added to Finland's Olympic team to replace Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff. Esche also is going to the Olympics to play for Team USA.

Esche is 11-4-2 with a 3.14 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage. He was outstanding while helping the Flyers get within one game of reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2004.

"I have a lot of goals and things I want to accomplish and I don't want to hinder it if I come back one day too soon," Esche said.

Meanwhile, Pitkanen might be back sooner than Esche. Hitchcock said the third-year pro is making progress and could play Thursday night against Boston.

Pitkanen has been sidelined since Dec. 6 after having abdominal surgery for a sports hernia, an injury that became well known in Philadelphia because Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb also had it this season.

"I feel pretty good, much better than I did a couple days ago," he said. "I hope (to play) this week. I can do everything."

While Esche and Pitkanen could be coming back soon, the Flyers still are without captain Keith Primeau and defenceman Eric Desjardins. Primeau hasn't played since Oct. 28 because of a concussion and it's possible he could sit out the rest of the regular season and return for the playoffs. Desjardins hasn't played since dislocating his right shoulder on Dec. 6 and having surgery.

Despite so many injuries to key players, the Flyers, led by Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne, still are among the top teams in the NHL. With a 28-10-7 record and 63 points, they were just one point behind league-leading Carolina going into Monday night's games.

The Flyers host the Hurricanes on Tuesday night.