It’s a hard-worn phrase in the Canon of Lou Lamoriello, but it’s probably never been more true than it is with this Islanders team under the first year of his stewardship.

“To have success in any team endeavor, you have to give up your identity,” the Isles team president told The Post after Thursday’s practice.  “Accept the role you’re given, and understand how important that is. This group has embraced that.”

This surprising season with Lamoriello at the helm and Barry Trotz behind the bench has been a study in self-sacrifice.  It has been the fascinating evolution of watching players learn poise and discipline in the face of adversity.  It’s been a sterling example of how under the right leadership, even the most cocksure athletes will buy in to the idea of the team over the individual.

This plan has culminated into a first-round playoff series with the Penguins, which began on such a high note with an Isles’ 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 at the rollicking Coliseum on Wednesday night. They had three different one-goal leads washed away, the final one with just 1:29 remaining in regulation, before Josh Bailey won it in overtime.

They never lost their composure, even when their play dipped in the second period. And they will be put to the test again when the Penguins of championship pedigree come back for Game 2 on Friday night.

But most importantly for Lamoriello, this team is going through arguably the most telling gantlet of evaluation possible. There are so many questions marks on the roster right now, including the Big Four set to be unrestricted free agents — captain Anders Lee, forwards Jordan Eberle and Brock Nelson, and goalie Robin Lehner. Under the bright lights down the stretch and now into the postseason, Lamoriello can more clearly see what types of big-time players they are, and then decide the value of that going into negotiations.

“Evaluation is an interesting word, because it’s every day, it’s ongoing,” Lamoriello said. “As far as evaluation, I know everyone is talking about our free agents. We want to keep them and we’ll try. But they’re focused — and we’re focused — on the task at hand right now, and that’s Game 2.”

In this feel-good moment, of course Lamoriello isn’t going to be focused on the contract details that might derail negotiations before July 1. And rest assured, there are quite a few details that might be insurmountable.

But that is the focus of 15 other teams right now, the ones that didn’t make the playoffs. Everyone figured the Islanders were going to be there, watching as the pingpongs balls bounced in Toronto as they did on Tuesday night setting up the draft positions. Even Lamoriello admitted that he didn’t know what to expect when he took over.