Ryan Madson threw 35 pitches without pain in an encouraging bullpen session Thursday, and the rehabbing right-hander said he can see the light at the end of the tunnel of his Tommy John surgery recovery.

“I don’t think I’m that far away, judging by the last week,” he said, asked if he could be back on the mound in a game in six weeks. “If I can get in in April, I’ll be happy.”

“Happy” was a word Madson used often Thursday.

Of the 35 pitches, Madson said that 25 were fastballs and 10 were changeups. He threw the first 30 without resting in between, then sat down for a bit and threw the final five to simulate the effect of pitching multiple innings.

Madson said he felt no pain afterward, which is a vast improvement from the final week of spring when, he said, “I was hurting for 5, 6 days.”

“It feels like the first week of spring training,” he said of his right elbow. “A little tightness warming up but other than that, it felt like the first week of spring training.

“I still want a lot more. I’m not excited, but I’m happy.”

Madson is on the 15-day disabled list. The Angels’ bullpen could use him back as soon as possible — their relievers are 1-3 with a 4.88 earned-run average in the first eight games of the season.