NY Islanders Hudson Fasching removed from IR, Noah Dobson and Fasching expected to play

The All-Star break has come and gone and those not named Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat, and Ilya Sorokin all got a well-deserved break away from the ice. In the process of adding Horvat over the break, the NY Islanders' injured players rested and recuperated. On Sunday, Noah Dobson and Hudson Fasching were full participants in practice and on Monday morning prior to the Isles game against the Philadelphia Flyers, the two were also full participants in morning skate. Head coach Lane Lambert didn't exactly divulge if either was playing in Monday night's contest, however, Fasching was removed from injured reserve and each player's full participation the last two days indicates their likeliness to play at the Wells Fargo Center.

"I don't think there's going to be too much shifting around," Lambert explained. "We'll see how things go. But certainly, we have a pretty good idea of where everyone is to be slotted right now. And we'll adjust from there."

That certainly sounds like a coach who knows exactly what the lineup is going to look like in just a few hours. Dobson has been out since Jan. 21st after sustaining an injury in the Islanders' 5-2 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes. Filling in for Dobson has been AHL All-Star Samuel Bolduc who has established his presence in a short sample size. Bolduc was recalled by the Islanders on Monday and is in Philadelphia with the Islanders. However, if Dobson is good to go, it's apparent that Bolduc will be the extra man.

Fasching has been out a little longer than Dobson, going down with an injury the game before on Jan. 18th against the Boston Bruins. According to the NHL website, he has been removed from the injured reserve which means he'll be available for Lambert on Monday.

Lambert has labeled both Dob son and Fasching as "game-time decisions," but it should be no surprise to see them dress in Horvats Islander debut. Oliver Wahlstrom and Cal Clutterbuck remain out indefinitely.