Now that the 16-day, 109-game preseason schedule has begun, it's time to take a closer look at the players, teams and stories that are making headlines in the weeks leading up to the start of the regular season on Oct. 4.
Here are five things we learned from the preseason games Monday:
5 things learned from Sept. 25 preseason games
Matthews gets hat trick for Maple Leafs; Hischier strengthens case to make Devils
© Claus Andersen/Getty Images