What will the Penguins look like to open the season?

The Pittsburgh Penguins will see something familiar Tuesday night.

A banner is being raised to celebrate a championship.

But they’ll be spectators for that event. The host Tampa Bay Lightning will be the ones celebrated for winning the Stanley Cup championship in July.

Four years removed from their most recent title, the Penguins are a different group than the one that failed to even win a playoff round last spring.

Free agency, expansion draft and injuries have altered a lineup that will be missing many familiar faces.

Here’s a look at the lines, defensive pairings and goaltenders the Penguins displayed in practice Monday.

1st line: Heinen, Carter, Rust

The only incumbent on this line is Bryan Rust. Having established himself as a steady 20-goal threat, Rust has become one of this team’s most valuable players.

Jeff Carter steps in as the de facto top-line center while Sidney Crosby (left wrist) and Evgeni Malkin (right knee) recover from offseason surgeries. At 37, it’s fair to wonder if he’s up for the challenge, but few players in the NHL can release the puck quite like Carter.

In the absence of Jake Guentzel (covid-19), Danton Heinen was elevated to this line late in training camp and established some immediate chemistry with Carter and Rust. In four preseason games, Heinen generated four points (one goal, three assists).

2nd line: Zucker, Rodrigues, Kapanen

It’s the same old story for Evan Rodrigues. If there’s a hole among the forward ranks, he will fill it. Rodrigues won’t make anyone forget about Malkin, but he has an intelligent approach to the game that appeals to the coaches.

Jason Zucker is seeking a big rebound after an underwhelming 2020-21 season. Blessed with speed and a sharp shot, he is more than capable of returning to the 20-goal plateau he has reached five times in his career.

With the Penguins missing some serious offensive firepower to open the season, they will rely on Kasperi Kapanen to fill some of that void. Quicker than a hiccup, few players on this roster can create offense off the rush quite like Kapanen.

3rd line: McGinn, Blueger, Simon

In the wake of losing Brandon Tanev in the expansion draft, the Penguins’ most prominent offseason addition was Brock McGinn. He might not be a carbon copy of the energetic Tanev, but McGinn must replace a lot of the intangibles his predecessor supplied.

Always steady, Teddy Blueger once again will draw prime defensive assignments against the opposition’s best centers. Additionally, with Crosby and Malkin absent, he’ll be asked to supply a little more offense than usual.

Dominik Simon returns after a year with the Calgary Flames. Having long ago gained the trust of coach Mike Sullivan, he’ll open the season as a replacement for Zach Aston-Reese (covid-19) on this line.

4th line: O’Connor, Boyle, Lafferty

Perhaps no attendee in the Penguins’ training camp did more to improve his stock than Drew O’Connor. As a rookie in 2020-21, he looked lost on an NHL rink. During this preseason, he appears to have figured out the professional game a bit more and appears to realize he belongs.

Brian Boyle came into camp on a tryout and earned a contract. A 13-year veteran, he knows the game as well as any coach. Additionally, at 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, he will provide some size to a mostly modest roster.

This could be a last chance for Sam Lafferty. Entering his third season, he has plenty of speed and physicality. But mistakes, such as penalties, have often led to healthy scratches.

1st pair: Dumoulin, Letang

Arc welded at the hip, the duo of Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang will be on the ice in just about every significant situation the team faces at even strength.

Letang is a future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and Dumoulin might be the greatest defensive defensemen in franchise history.

2nd pair: Matheson, Marino

The Penguins experimented with these two as a duo early last season before injuries ravaged the blue line.

Mike Matheson is one of the team’s best skaters and made a lot of progress to iron out the miscues in his game last season. Meanwhile, John Marino is looking to rebound after an underwhelming sophomore campaign in 2020-21.

3rd pair: Pettersson, Ruhwedel

For the first time in his 10-year career, Chad Ruhwedel will open a season with a spot among a team’s top six defensemen. A steady, if boring, entity, Ruhwedel is among the coaching staff’s most trusted players.

After working with Marino for most of the past two seasons, Marcus Pettersson will be working with a new partner. An intriguing talent, he needs to bounce back from an underwhelming 2020-21 season.

Goaltenders: Jarry, DeSmith

Few players in the NHL face more scrutiny than Tristan Jarry. Management opted to stick with him this offseason after failing to find any viable options in free agency or the trade market. He has plenty of talent, but he needs to find a greater level of consistency.

As one of the smaller goaltenders in the NHL, Casey DeSmith is agile and athletic. Additionally, coaches have shown they have no problem turning to him on a regular basis should the starter falter in any fashion.

Follow the Penguins all season long.