John Erskine (neck) was able to get in a skate Thursday morning, Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post reports.

Erskine (neck) was able to get in a skate Thursday morning, Alex Prewitt of the Washington Post reports.

Analysis:

Erskine has been off the ice since undergoing surgery in October to repair a disk in his neck. The defenseman has largely remained at home back in Canada most of this season, and continues to experience pain following the procedure. The fact that he was able to test out his neck during Thursday's session suggests he's noticed some level of improvement, but it still appears highly unlikely that he'll return before the season ends.