BOSTON -- It’s been nearly a month since Brett Connolly arrived in Boston, and he’s inching closer to finally playing in a game for the Bruins.

The team acquired the 22-year-old forward from the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 2 in exchange for a pair of second-round draft picks in 2015 and 2016, but Connolly suffered a fractured right index finger during his second practice with Boston. He required surgery, and with only nine games remaining in the regular season for the Bruins, Connolly hopes to return soon.

“I hope so. I’m not too sure yet. My timetable, I know I’m getting closer and I’m expecting to be back for a few games before the [end] of the regular season, but we’ll see,” Connolly said.

Connolly participated in the team’s morning skate as the Bruins prepare to host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday at TD Garden.

“It was a good first step today,” he said. “It’s encouraging, obviously. It’s been three weeks, so we’re trying to transition into getting me on the ice and getting me in shape. It’s a step in the right direction.”

Connolly was Tampa’s first-round pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2010 draft, and the Bruins are expecting him to make an impact now and in the future.

Anaheim forward Nate Thompson spent five seasons with the Lightning and watched Connolly develop. Thompson, who also spent some time in the Bruins’ organization early in his career, compared Connolly to former Bruins forward P.J. Axlesson.

“He could be a P.J. Axelsson kind of guy with maybe more of an offensive upside. The Bruins really got a good deal. He’s a good player and a good guy and he’ll fit in well,” Thompson said. “He’s a top-10 pick with a lot of ability, but you can see he’s rounded out his game. He plays a complete game. He plays hard. He’s got a heck of a shot. He finishes his checks. He benefitted by the way Tampa brought him along, letting him develop. He’s going to be a really good NHL player for a long time.”