This week is a big one for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they officially begin training camp and enter the preseason with split squad games.

Overall, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to improve upon the disaster that was last season. They finished last in the Atlantic Division, and players like Auston Matthews suffered devastating injuries.

Now, however, the roster has a new look with additions like Darren Raddysh, Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Teddy Blueger, and Colton Sissions. There are also plenty of rookies and young prospects looking to impress the coaching staff and finally get a big opportunity.

Following this weekend's prospect challenge, Monday marks the official start of the Leafs' return to the public eye. As you will read, the schedule for the week ahead is packed solid.

Maple Leafs go into training camp with something to prove

Today, the Maple Leafs are hosting their annual golf tournament. This is where players get to have some fun, all while speaking to the media and giving insight into what's next.

Moreover, main camp is going to begin on Wednesday, September 16. From there, the first preseason games will take place on September 19 against the Montreal Canadiens.

It is this week that the Leafs will be looking to show fans what they are capable of. After an embarrassing season, it is important that the team gets off to an energetic start. They have a new head coach in Jim Hiller, and the new system will be shown off, at least in part.

Fans shouldn't expect the Leafs to be Stanley Cup contenders out of the gate. However, this week will be a good indication of whether or not the team has been taking the offseason noise into consideration.

Maple Leafs pre-season schedule

Due to the extended 84-game regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are only playing four preseason games. Furthermore, these games are going to be split-squad, which means two games will be going on at the same time.

This complicates the scouting process and gives players on the cut line just a couple of opportunities to show what they can do. The full schedule is as follows:

Saturday, Sep 19 at 7:00 PM - Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens (Split-squad, away at Centre Bell)

Saturday, Sep 19 at 7:00 PM - Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs (Split-squad, home at Scotiabank Arena)

Wednesday, Sep 23 at 7:00 PM (or TBD) - Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators (Split-squad, away at Canadian Tire Centre)

Wednesday, Sep 23 at 7:00 PM - Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs (Split-squad, home at Scotiabank Arena

Once the preseason is over, the Leafs will begin their regular season on September 29 against the Montreal Canadiens.

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