When it comes to line combinations, Penguins coach Dan Muse finds himself with a multitude of choices.

The Penguins can legitimately roll four lines and be better for it. There’s scoring depth: 11 forwards with 10 goals or more. The stars are spared too many minutes and the accompanying wear and tear.

The go-to combinations are:

• Sidney Crosby centering Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust.

• Tommy Novak between Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin.

• Ben Kindel flanked by Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha.

• A rock-steady fourth line of Blake Lizotte centering Noel Acciari and Connor Dewar.

Or maybe that’s what the go-to combinations used to be.

Injury can dictate. Necessity can invent new, exciting opportunity. Such as:

• Rakell is currently sparkling at center, face-off difficulty duly noted. Witness 11 goals in his last 11 games.

• Chinakhov on Crosby’s wing is sharpening a facet of the captain’s arsenal that can go underutilized.

Rakell’s outburst isn’t hard to decipher: He’s a smart, talented player with a hot hand. Rakell figured it out.

But the Chinakhov/Crosby combination — with Rust on the other wing — is quite intriguing.

Chinakhov’s style and burst make Crosby attack off the rush more often. It’s a line that not only produces but seems to rattle the opposition, putting defenseman on their heels. It’s fast, it’s frantic, it’s skilled. Chinakhov can snipe.

Will Muse stick with that line in the playoffs, or go back to Crosby, Rakell and Rust? A combo that Crosby likes, but one that mostly works down low. (And to great effect.)

That reunification puts Novak back at center.

Novak has been in a funk. His goal at New Jersey on Thursday was his first in 13 games.

But he can’t be scratched. Novak has to play.

The Penguins have exactly nine forwards legit capable of playing on the top three lines. (Maybe not that many.) Novak is one of them.

Novak had 11 points in December, eight in January. That’s the version of Novak the Penguins need. He was third fiddle on that line with Chinakhov and Malkin, but why ask why?

Brazeau netted 12 goals in October and November, just five since. It would help if Brazeau reverted to form. Or maybe he has, and that’s the problem.

All 6-foot-8 of Elmer Soderblom has made impact since being acquired from Detroit, scoring four times in 17 games. He’s like Victor Wembanyama on the forecheck: All arms and legs.

But there really isn’t a spot for Soderblom when all the forwards are fit.

But Soderblom shouldn’t fret. How often is everybody healthy come playoff time, and after 82 regular-season games? Soderblom played at New Jersey because Dewar was banged up.

Despite the comfort of the go-to combinations mentioned, Muse should keep Chinakhov and Crosby together.

Balance is great. But it could still be achieved with Chinakhov and Crosby as linemates. That line can break open games.

Chinakhov is amazing: 18 goals and 18 assists in 41 games since Columbus absurdly swapped him to the Penguins.

He can be the Penguins’ top player on a given night. Crosby and Malkin were brilliant at New Jersey. But Chinakhov was better. Best player on the ice.