Phil Kessel back skating.

I would hope that this means that the Bruin forward is going to be playing for the Boston Bruins soon. The Bruins will need his offensive imagination in the second half as the Bruins make their run to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Kessel skates for 35 minutes
Kevin Paul Dupont --- Globe Staff

Phil Kessel skated for approximately 35 minutes under the watchful eye assistant coach Doug Houda, but based on coach Claude Julien's summation, it did not sound as if the third-year forward is on the verge of returning to the lineup.

''He can't take any contact,'' said Julien, noting standard practice for someone recovering from mononucleosis. ''That's why he stayed on after [the rest of the group worked out]. His condition can change, day-to-day. But he is obviously feeling much better.''