MONTREAL — Barring a setback, Rene Bourque’s return to the Canadiens lineup appears to be on the horizon.

Bourque has missed 12 games because of a concussion and isn’t expected to play on Thursday against the New York Islanders (7 p.m., RDS, TSN Radio 690). But he’s been cleared for contact and will travel to Long Island and continue to practise with the Habs.

The good news is that he’s joined the team for practices, “so it’s an important progression,” coach Michel Therrien said.

“I can’t tell you exactly if he’ll be there on the weekend,” Therrien added, alluding to the Canadiens’ game Saturday at the Bell Centre against the Buffalo Sabres.

“The medical team will certainly re-evaluate him on Friday and we’ll make a decision.”

Bourque said after practice Wednesday that he’s feeling better every day.

“Obviously, I’ve been out for close to a month already. So it’s important just to get a few practices under my belt before I come back and when that is I’m not exactly sure.”

Conditioning is going to be the biggest issue for him. For almost all of the month he’s been out, Bourque hasn’t really been able to do any training “or even keep my cardio up,” he said.

“I’m just going to continue to practise until I get the go-ahead, until I feel like I’m ready to play.”

Asked if he felt symptom-free when skating, Bourque said: “Close. I feel pretty good on the ice. So I just don’t want to come back if I’m not feeling 110 per cent. I don’t want to get hit again and get a big setback.”

Bourque said he’s had a few concussions before, although “this is definitely the worst one.”

“I’ve had a few before where I’d be fine after a few days and I’d be back to normal and this one, obviously, took a lot longer than that. So I want to be careful. I want to make sure — even if I feel good physically, it’s my head that I have to be careful about. I just want to make sure that I’m not going to be afraid to go into a corner, take a bodycheck or get bumped around.

“I’m itching to get back in. I want to play. I’m trying to get back in there.

“I just got to make sure that I’m ready.”

Bourque said he didn’t really know when he suffered the concussion. It could have happened when he was punched by Toronto Maple Leafs forward Colton Orr or a “hit in Florida,” he said. Orr punched Bourque during the Leafs’ 6-0 blowout victory over the Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Feb. 9.

“I think it was just a combination of a few things,” Bourque said. “I felt fine after awhile. I played six games like that. So I really don’t know. I don’t know if the Orr hit started it and I got bumped again and maybe it just triggered it. I’m not too sure.”

Defenceman Raphael Diaz, who is also out with a concussion, is working out in the gym, but hasn’t resumed skating yet.

The Canadiens’ game against the Islanders Thursday is the final meeting this season between the two teams. The Islanders won the first two games.

The Islanders have talented players and have picked early in the NHL entry draft in the past few years, Therrien said. It will be up to the Canadiens to ensure that they play a solid match and dictate the game as they were able to do as of the second period in Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the coach added.

Goaltender Carey Price will get the start in net.

bbranswell@montrealgazette.com

Twitter: @bbranswell