Who are the Penguins' greatest players of the 21st century?

As far as centuries go, the 21st has treated the Pittsburgh Penguins pretty well.

No team in the NHL has scored more goals (5,737) or held more Stanley Cup parades (three) since Jan. 1, 2000.

It stands to reason, then, that their Quarter-Century Team should be something to see.

Each day from Dec. 30 to Jan. 31, the NHL will unveil the Quarter-Century Team for one of its clubs (and the Arizona Coyotes). The Penguins’ team will be announced Thursday.

The Quarter-Century Team includes a first team and second team with three forwards (regardless of position), two defenseman and one goalie on each. Anyone who played for a team from Jan. 1, 2000 to the present is eligible.

The teams were chosen by a panel of media members, retired players and executives specific to that club.

Here’s a look at who should be honored for the Penguins.

The forwards

Two slots on the Penguins’ first team are all-time no-brainers. Sidney Crosby is the NHL’s leading scorer in the 21st century with 1,638 points. Evgeni Malkin is fourth with 1,328 points. They’re locks.

From there, things get interesting thanks to the presence of two of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of skates.

Mario Lemieux played 170 games over parts of four seasons in the 21st century. Jaromir Jagr played 109 games with the Penguins after Jan. 1, 2000.

It might be easy to leave them off the team, assigning them to the previous century instead, except for this: Who are the Penguins’ point-per-game leaders in the 21st century? Jagr (1.39) and Lemieux (1.35), ahead of even Crosby (1.25) and Malkin (1.12).

If Lemieux and Jagr earn spots on the Quarter-Century Team, the competition for the other two forward spots becomes incredibly fierce.

Jake Guentzel is perhaps the strongest remaining candidate with 219 goals over parts of eight seasons with the team.

Bryan Rust recorded his 400th point in his 600th career game Friday night against Florida. It would be awfully hard to leave him off.

No Penguins forward of the 21st century had the cult following of Phil Kessel, whose arrival kick-started the team’s most recent championship runs.

Patric Hornqvist brought a heart-and-soul style of play that filled a critical need for six seasons.

Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis were Crosby’s perfect wingmen during a championship era, and Kunitz’s name appears on the Cup three times.

Alex Kovalev and James Neal were lethal scorers whose contributions seem to be obscured a bit by the passage of time, probably because they didn’t win a Cup with the Penguins.

The fundamental question, though, is this: Did Lemieux and Jagr play long enough this century to make the team?

The defensemen

It’s actually pretty easy to identify the Penguins’ best four defensemen of the 21st century.

Among all NHL defensemen, only Brent Burns (894) and Erik Karlsson (843) have more points than Kris Letang (758) since Jan. 1, 2000. Brian Dumoulin was his dependable left-hand man for years.

Sergei Gonchar brought a calming presence to the back-to-back finalists in 2008-09. Brooks Orpik was the spiritual successor to Ulf Samuelsson and Darius Kasparaitis on the list of the franchise’s most physical defensemen.

It’s hard to make a case for anyone else. Rob Scuderi and Olli Maatta might be the top candidates if a third pair were needed.

The goalies

It’s even easier to pick the Penguins’ top two goalies of the 21st century.

No one has won more games in the NHL (568) — and more hearts in Pittsburgh — this century than Marc-Andre Fleury.

Matt Murray’s career has taken plenty of unexpected twists and turns since, but no one can ever take away the two championships he won.

Tristan Jarry (144) has won more games with the Penguins than Murray (117), and Johan Hedberg was a cult hero for a few weeks in 2001, but there’s no point arguing against Fleury and Murray.

Without further ado …

First team

Forwards: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mario Lemieux

Defensemen: Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin

Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury

Second team

Forwards: Jaromir Jagr, Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust

Defensemen: Sergei Gonchar, Brooks Orpik

Goalie: Matt Murray