Isles Day-to-Day: Down to One Group

The New York Islanders are down to one group in this year's training camp.

The team loaned or assigned nine players to Bridgeport on Saturday. See below for the full roster and today's lines at practice.

LINES:

Drouin - Horvat - Heineman
Lee - Barzal - Palmieri
Holmstrom - Pageau - Shabanov
Tsyplakov - Cizikas - Duclair
MacLean - Ritchie - Gatcomb
Highmore

Pelech - Pulock
Romanov - DeAngelo
Mayfield - Schaefer
George - Boqvist

HEINEMAN WITH HORVAT AND DROUIN:

Emil Heineman got a shot to skate alongside Bo Horvat and Jonathan Drouin during Sunday's skate. Roy said he's been impressed with Heineman during training camp and Sunday's assignment reflects that.

"I'm very impressed with him," Roy said. "He's fast, shoots the puck well and he's reliable defensively."

Roy expanded on how he sees Heineman fitting in with Horvat and Drouin.

"He's the guy that is probably going to chase most of the pucks," Roy said. "But he's capable of making plays. He's capable of shooting well. We have some physicality on pretty much every line now, which I love."

Heineman, who was acquired from Montreal in the Noah Dobson trade, said he doesn't try to change his game drastically when playing with new linemates. He's lauded for his shot, so it'll be about getting open for Drouin and Horvat to find him.

"They're great players, so you have to be ready because they see you when you don't think they see you," Heineman said. Stay ready, I guess, and try to shoot it, but overall, I'm trying to play my game and help my teammates as much as possible, no matter who they are and try to be my myself too."

SHABANOV WITH PAGEAU AND HOLMSTROM:

Max Shabanov skated with JG Pageau and Simon Holmstrom on Sunday.

Pairing Shabanov's with a pair of defensively-responsible skaters, should help the skilled and shifty Russian as he adapts to the NHL. Roy said it should "take the pressure" off Shabanov and even went as far to pull Pageau aside and tell him to "help the kid."

"Any players who is playing with Pager, it's a treat," Roy said. "He's such a good, 200-foot guy, and I said to him on the ice, 'hey, help the kid.' We knew it'd be an adjustment for [Shabanov] and I think playing with Simon and Pager, it'll be a fun thing for him and for them as well. [Shabanov's] very skilled."

TSYPLAKOV AND LEE SKATE

Max Tsyplakov (day-to-day, maintenance) and Anders Lee (upper body) both skated with the team on Sunday. Lee wore a red non-contact jersey, while Tsyplakov wore a regular jersey.

Lee said he was "feeling good" and that he's been taking things day-by-day. The Islanders captain said he would like to get another preseason game before the regular season starts, but acknowledged that Monday's game against the Rangers may be a little soon. The Isles wrap up the preseason on Thursday in Philadelphia.