How do these Penguins stack up to recent franchise Cup champions?

In 16 practice rinks across North America, players gathered Tuesday morning to make final preparations for the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

As they pulled on their shoulder pads and laced up their skates, they peered around the locker room and wondered if they and the teammates looking back at them have what it takes to claim a championship.

In the Pittsburgh Penguins locker room in Cranberry, there was a little less uncertainty than there is in most corners of the league.

The Penguins know exactly what it takes to win a championship. Many of them have done so twice in the past three years. Their question is whether they have what it takes to do it again.

Invariably, their answer is yes, followed by an “if.”

For three-time champion Kris Letang, the “if” is related to teamwork.

“I think we have all the tools to be successful in the playoffs,” Letang said. “It’s just we have to put it into one ultimate goal. We all have to work the same way. We have to play the same way. We can’t have different guys on different pages. I think that’s the key in the playoffs, everyone is pulling in the same direction.”

For captain Sidney Crosby, the “if” is about execution.

“It’s really who can get to their own game the most often and execute in big situations,” Crosby said. “There’s going to be tight games. Whether it’s a big defensive play, a big save, special teams — every play is magnified in the playoffs, and all those little things aren’t so little.”

As the Penguins get set to open their quest for the franchise’s sixth Stanley Cup championship Wednesday night on Long Island, here’s a look at how this year’s team compares to the recent squads that were able to turn their “ifs” into 35 pounds of silver.

2016

FORWARDS

Sheary-Crosby-Hornqvist

Kunitz-Malkin-Rust

Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel

Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Fehr

DEFENSE

Dumoulin-Letang

Maatta-Lovejoy

Cole-Schultz

GOALIES

Murray-Fleury

Breakdown: The 2016 team is the gold standard when it comes to entering the playoffs ready to dominate.

The Penguins went 17-5-0 after the trade deadline, compiling advanced stats that made them the clear favorites to claim a championship. The emergence of the HBK Line as a scoring threat that was on par with the top line on any other team pushed the team over the top. In hindsight, any series loss would have been a significant upset.

2017

FORWARDS

Guentzel-Crosby-Sheary

Kunitz-Malkin-Kessel

Wilson-Bonino-Hornqvist

Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Rowney

DEFENSE

Dumoulin-Hainsey

Maatta-Daley

Cole-Schultz

GOALIES

Murray-Fleury

Breakdown: The Penguins more than held their head above water after acquiring Ron Hainsey to fill in for the injured Letang at the trade deadline, going 12-6-3 the rest of the way.

Their advanced stats were not impressive, though, and the playoffs bore that out. The Penguins made their way through four rounds thanks to superb goaltending, dogged shot-blocking and at least one favorable matchup (Ottawa in the conference finals).

2019

FORWARDS

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust

McCann-Malkin-Hornqvist

Simon-Bjugstad-Kessel

Blueger-Cullen-Wilson

DEFENSE

Maatta-Letang

Johnson-Schultz

Pettersson-Gudbranson

GOALIES

Murray-DeSmith

Breakdown: The team’s record (12-4-4) and advanced stats since the trade deadline sit squarely between the 2016 and ‘17 championship teams, and the eye test seems to back that up. This is a team in the ballpark of championship caliber, but isn’t quite a favorite to win it all. Speed on defense and goaltending depth aren’t what they were in the title years. The addition of Nick Bjugstad, Jared McCann and Erik Gudbranson in February, however, provides more balance than the 2017 team (and way more balance than last year’s playoff roster).

Note: Line combinations and defense pairs from 2016-17 are based on even-strength ice time. For 2019, it’s based on the combinations used during Tuesday’s practice. Brian Dumoulin and Zach Aston-Reese could be in Wednesday night’s lineup.