Islanders taking their time when it comes to trimming the roster

Say this about the Islanders: They’ve been in no rush to trim their training camp roster. It still stood at 44 on Thursday when many NHL teams were at 30 or below.

Their preseason schedule, including the back-to-back matches to conclude their six-game slate, has played a role in any reluctance. Thursday night’s lineup in a 5-2 loss to a more experienced Flyers’ roster at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia included at least eight players that almost certainly won’t be around to start the season.

Presumably, the Islanders will have a much more NHL-ready lineup for the preseason finale on Friday night against the Devils at UBS Arena.

“We’re always looking for something until the end of camp, until whenever we make decisions,” said coach Lane Lambert, adding some decisions could come, “in the next 24 hours. Whoever is playing tonight wants to make an impression and leave an impression.”

Instead, the inequality in experience between the lineups showed.

Forwards William Dufour, Arnaud Durandeau, Brian Pinho, Karson Kuhlman, Kyle MacLean and Matthew Maggio, defenseman Paul LaDue and goalie Jakub Skarek  all dressed against the Flyers and are likely to be playing for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport to start the season.

Kuhlman opened the scoring with a breakaway goal at 9:53 of the first period and Pinho pulled the Islanders within 4-2 at 5:45 of the third period with Durandeau getting a secondary assist.

But if that group doesn’t have a very realistic chance of being on the roster when the Islanders open the regular season on Oct. 14 against the visiting Sabres, they are candidates for in-season call-ups.

“It’s good because you get that added time,” Lambert said of making evaluations. “It’s not just a three- or four-day thing and then they’re out. You get to know them. You get to know them personally. You see different tendencies, different traits that they have. So it’s a valuable time for not only us as a coaching staff, but for them as players.”

Dufour played on veteran center Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s right wing. Durandeau was on Pinho’s left wing while Maggio — who had his third-period breakaway gloved by Flyers goalie Carter Hart — and Kuhlman sandwiched MacLean.

“I thought maybe why we kept that many numbers is that everyone that came in played well and played hard and played the way the coaches and the organization wanted,” Pageau said. “I think having a lot of guys creates really good competitions.”

Defensively, LaDue was paired with prospect Samuel Bolduc, who likely will start the season with the Islanders because he must pass through waivers to be re-assigned to Bridgeport.

Notes & quotes: Goalie Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves, with two of the Flyers’ goals coming on breakaways and a third on a five-on-three power play . . . Goalie Ilya Sorokin is expected to start Friday night . . . The Islanders were held to 16 shots . . . Lambert replied, “We’ll see,” when asked whether top-six right wing Kyle Palmieri, who just resumed practicing with the Islanders this week, could dress against the Devils.

Say this about the Islanders: They’ve been in no rush to trim their training camp roster. It still stood at 44 on Thursday when many NHL teams were at 30 or below.

Their preseason schedule, including the back-to-back matches to conclude their six-game slate, has played a role in any reluctance. At least eight players dressed on Thursday night against the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia that almost certainly won’t be around to start the season.

Presumably, the Islanders will have a much more NHL-ready lineup for the preseason finale on Friday night against the Devils at UBS Arena.

“We’re always looking for something until the end of camp, until whenever we make decisions,” said coach Lane Lambert, adding some decisions could come, “in the next 24 hours.” “Whoever is playing tonight wants to make an impression and leave an impression.”

Forwards William Dufour, Arnaud Durandeau, Brian Pinho, Karson Kuhlman, Kyle MacLean and Matthew Maggio, defenseman Paul LaDue and goalie Jakub Skarek   dressed against the Flyers but  are likely to be playing for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport to start the season.

But if that group doesn’t have a very realistic chance of being on the roster when the Islanders open the regular season on Oct. 14 against the visiting Sabres, they are candidates for in-season call-ups. The longer a look they get in training camp, the more chance the coaches will be comfortable with them when it counts.

“It’s good because you get that added time,” Lambert said. “It’s not just a three- or four-day thing and then they’re out. You get to know them. You get to know them personally. You see different tendencies, different traits that they have. So it’s a valuable time for not only us as a coaching staff, but for them as players.”

Dufour played on veteran center Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s right wing. Durandeau was on Pinho’s left wing while Maggio and Kuhlman sandwiched MacLean.

“You never know,” Pageau said. “I thought maybe why we kept that many numbers is that everyone that came in played well and played hard and played the way the coaches and the organization wanted. I think having a lot of guys creates really good competitions. They’re trying to take a spot on the team and veterans are trying to keep their spots. The competitions really elevates the game from everyone.”

Lambert must still decide who should play on the top line with center Bo Horvat and right wing Mathew Barzal, who did not make the trip to Philadelphia but will presumably play on Friday.

Defensively, LaDue was paired with prospect Samuel Bolduc, who likely will start the season with the Islanders because he must pass through waivers to be re-assigned to Bridgeport.

Notes & quotes: Goalie Ilya Sorokin is expected to start Friday night . . . Lambert replied, “We’ll see,” when asked whether Kyle Palmieri could dress against the Devils. The top-six right wing resumed practicing this week after skating on his own the first two weeks of training camp because of an undisclosed injury.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.