Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant instructs his players from the...

Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant instructs his players from the sidelines during the third period of an NHL game against the Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday. Credit: AP/Karl B DeBlaker

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — With the trade deadline behind them and all of the new Rangers players now on board, coach Gerard Gallant has 18 games left in the regular season to figure out the best way to deploy all the pieces at his disposal.

Gallant tinkered with his lineup at practice Thursday, putting together five completely new forward lines as he sought to figure out the best look for his team for Friday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Garden.

“We’re going to have a lot of guys in and out, and in different spots right now,’’ Gallant said after his first practice with the four new acquisitions: forwards Frank Vatrano, Andrew Copp and Travis Motte and defenseman Justin Braun. “I’ve got an idea in the back of my mind what the lines will look like, but it could very well change.’’

They may change when forwards Kaapo Kakko and Kevin Rooney return from injury, but in the meantime, Gallant is trying to figure out what combinations make the most sense. At practice Thursday, he had Vatrano, acquired last week from the Panthers, skating at right wing on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and Copp, acquired Monday from the Jets, at right wing on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome.

Alexis Lafreniere, who had been playing on his off wing with Kreider and Zibanejad, was back at his natural left wing position, but on the third line, with Filip Chytil and Barclay Goodrow. Motte was at left wing on the fourth line, with Jonny Brodzinski in the middle and Dryden Hunt on the right.

The arrival of three new forwards within the past nine days has forced some regulars out of the lineup. Ryan Reaves, Julien Gauthier and Greg McKegg skated together on what looked like a fifth line.

“It’s hard, because it’s a positive for some and it’s a negative for some players,’’ Gallant said. “But it’s a good thing. I mean . . . it might hurt some nights, with guys playing ‘off’ wings, or with new line combinations, but you do the best you can.’’

Gallant said he spoke to the team, explained the situation and told the group to “stay positive.’’

“We’re trying to do this to win hockey games, to go as far as we can, if we make the playoffs,’’ he said. “That’s what you do. So have patience. There’s a lot of people on the ice and . . . you’re all teammates.’’

Lafreniere, the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, was benched in the third period of Tuesday’s 7-4 loss to the Devils and was dropped down in the lineup Thursday. But Gallant said it wasn’t because he was unhappy with the second-year player.

“It was the score [5-2 after two periods],’’ Gallant said. “And you know what, to be fair to Laffy, I know he likes playing left wing better than right wing. We’re trying some new, different people. So it’s it’s not picking on Laffy; it’s not that at all.

>“He’s a 20-year-old kid. He’s played good hockey. He’s got some points for us. But you know, with the new guys coming in, you just want to change the makeup a little bit. And we’ll see where it goes.’’

As for the defense, Gallant said he would have no problem with a righthanded shot playing on the left side, meaning either Braun or rookie Braden Schneider could shift to the left if need be.

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