Throughout the regular season, the Penguins’ third line was work in progress. Mostly because of injuries, the third line rarely was composed of the same trio of players for more than a handful of games at a time.

And with Nick Bjugstad sidelined after back surgery this spring, they must turn to another potential trio.

Through the early days of training camp in Cranberry, Jared McCann has been working at center with Patrick Marleau on the left wing.

The right wing was expected to be inhabited by Patric Hornqvist, but he has yet to participate in training camp for undisclosed reasons. Reserve forwards Sam Lafferty and Evan Rodrigues have been alternating on the starboard side in Hornqvist’s absence.

There are high hopes for what this line — with Hornqvist — can offer the team in the postseason.

“They all bring something different to the table. Jared McCann brings an element of speed, scoring ability. He can really shoot the puck. Patty Marleau is just a real solid two-way player. A good skater, good size, real strong on the wall, real responsible defensively. (Hornqvist) brings what (Hornqvist) brings, and we all know that. That’s a line that could be very good for us if we so choose to put those three guys together.

“They’re a line that could help us at both ends of the rink. To have the opportunity to have a top-nine (group of forwards) like we have is just an indication of the lineup we have when we have a healthy line up.”

Said McCann: “We look at ourselves like the game changers. We feel like we have something that a lot of teams don’t. We’ve got that veteran presence with (Marleau) and (Hornqvist) as well. I’m just trying to complement them.”

Sullivan pumped the breaks on any assumption Lafferty or Rodrigues were simply fill-ins for Hornqvist.

“These are guys that we think we can play up and down the lineup,” Sullivan said. “Both of them have the ability to play center as well as the wing position. They just bring a different position than a guy like (Hornqvist). It just gives us an opportunity to see these guys in different circumstances.

“My hope is that the versatility that we have and the ability we have to move these guys around our center icemen, for me, gives us a lot of versatility and a lot of depth.”

11 absent

Hornqvist was one of 11 players who remained absent from practice on Tuesday along with forwards Anthony Angello, Adam Johnson, Sam Miletic, Sam Poulin, Phil Varone, defensemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Juuso Riikola, goaltenders Casey DeSmith, Alex D’Orio and Emil Larmi.

Nine of those players are being held from camp indefinitely because of exposure to an individual who had contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus. Per NHL policy, the team has not identified any of those players.

Series logistics

The NHL released times for the qualifying round of its postseason tournament scheduled to start in August.

The Penguins will face the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-five qualifying round at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Their schedule of games:

Aug. 1 – Canadiens at Penguins, 8 p.m.

Aug. 3 – Canadiens at Penguins, 8 p.m.

Aug. 5 – Penguins at Canadiens, 8 pm.

Aug. 7 – Penguins at Canadiens, Time TBA (if necessary)

Aug. 8 – Canadiens at Penguins, Time TBA (if necessary)

While the games will be held in Toronto, each contest will have a designated home and away team to determine which end of the ice is defended as well as the final line changes before faceoffs.

Winners of the qualifying round will move on to the first round of the playoffs.

Additionally, the NHL announced its schedule of exhibition games prior to the postseason. The Penguins will face the rival Philadelphia Flyers at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 28 in Toronto.

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