Three October tests will show whether the Maple Leafs actually changed

Last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs finished at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

In the offseason, the franchise brought in a new head coach in Jim Hiller and a new general manager in John Chayka. Chayka then went and signed guys like Jack Roslovic, Nick Paul, Brandon Duhaime, and Colton Sissons. He also pulled off a major sign-and-trade for Darren Raddysh.

Of course, they also drafted Gavin McKenna first overall. This adds quite a bit of firepower to the roster, and now, fans want to see if these changes lead to tangible results on the ice.

Matthews' pace, McKenna's role and Toronto's goaltending will reveal whether the reset is real

In October, there are three specific tests that will clue us in on whether or not the Toronto Maple Leafs have actually improved in a substantive way.

The first test is whether Matthews looks explosive again, creating separation, getting to dangerous areas and generating shots at the rate Toronto expects from its No. 1 scorer.

Meanwhile, Gavin McKenna will also offer insight into this team. Does he earn a meaningful role, or does he get sheltered into the bottom six? If he earns a meaningful role, that spells good news as the Leafs maneuver the season.

Lastly, there is the case of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz. Can these goalies finally give the Maple Leafs the stability they need between the pipes? If they do, then the Leafs can avoid chasing the game like they did last season.

These three areas hit the team's biggest offseason bets. A superstar's health, young-core growth, and goaltending certainty.

The first 10 games should expose whether Toronto fixed the old problems or just changed the names

In order to evaluate the Leafs after 10 games, it will be important to look beyond just the record. For instance, analysts will have to look at whether or not the team has the same problems from last season.

This includes slow starts, defensive breakdowns, long losing streaks, inability to protect leads, and the stars having to carry every part of the game. If those issues go away, then there is substance to this team's turnaround. Had the team returned with the exact same personnel, then the reset would have been purely cosmetic.

October will not decide Toronto's season, but it should tell us whether this version of the Leafs actually behaves differently from the one that failed last year.

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