There were 10 games on Monday's preseason schedule, with several teams nearing final decisions in terms of who'll be on the ice when valuable points in the standings are on the line beginning Oct. 4.

Here are three major takeaways from a busy night around the NHL.

1. Scheifele, Laine could be league's top duo

If the Winnipeg Jets are going to make the playoffs this season, it will be in large part to deploying arguably the NHL's top duo.

That twosome would be Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele, who combined for three goals and six assists in Winnipeg's 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames. The former led the way with two goals and three assists, while the center scored once and added three helpers.

Related: Laine's one-timer is in mid-season form

As an added bonus, Blake Wheeler jumped up with Laine and Scheifele on the power play, and the captain chipped in three assists on the night. Young Nikolaj Ehlers also made a bid for a top-line spot by adding an even-strength marker of his own.

Scoring won't be a problem here.

2. Devils, Senators trending in opposite directions?

Here's something that hasn't been said too often over the years: the New Jersey Devils could be very fun to watch this season.

The rebuilding team's young talent put on a show in an 8-1 win over the Ottawa Senators in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, while a few veteran additions to the squad chipped in as well.

Here's a look at the damage that was done:

Meanwhile, the Senators looked out of sorts from the get-go, and notably remain without Erik Karlsson and Derick Brassard, both of whom are out with injuries.

Yes it's only the preseason, and the Senators' lineup was not what it will look like come opening night, but Ottawa can't afford to be caught sleeping when games matter, lest an upstart team like the Devils climb up and steal their playoff spot.

"The exhibition season is winding down and I believe you’re going to see our game ramp up,” Dion Phaneuf said after the game, per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. "We’ve done a lot of good things in the preseason but we’ve got some work to do. We definitely can’t just show up in this league and we saw that tonight."

3. Auston Matthews picking up where he left off

Heading into his second season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews looks like he easily has at least another 40 goals in him.

Matthews, who turned 20 last week, recorded a hat-trick on Al Montoya and the Montreal Canadiens, kicking things off early by completely fooling everyone.

Matthews also assisted on a William Nylander power-play goal to give him four points on the night.

Matthews will likely start the season with Zach Hyman to his left and Nylander to his right on the team's top line, and is a good bet to challenge the 40 goals he scored as a rookie and the 69 points recorded en route to a Calder Trophy win.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews makes it look so easy.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forward beat Montreal Canadiens goaltender three times to pick up the hat trick in his club's 5-1 victory on Monday. Matthews tallied two goals in the first period and then used a breakaway chance early in the third period Monday - sliding a puck past Montoya - to top it all off.

Matthews would later pick up an assist on William Nylander's third goal of the preseason to give him four points on the night. With the trio of goals, Matthews now has four during this exhibition season.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrik Laine appears to be done with the preseason.

The Winnipeg Jets' sophomore forward proved that he is ready to get the regular season underway by showing that his one-timer is in mid-season form. The 19-year-old hammered his second goal of the preseason midway through the first period over the blocker of Calgary Flames goalie Eddie Lack.

Not done there, early into the second period he one-touched a rebound, firing a shot in the exact same spot.

He also collected two assists on Monday just for good measure.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mathew Barzal can motor.

The New York Islanders' rookie forward blasted around the New Jersey Devils' defense and got Keith Kinkaid to bite on a poke check before burying his first goal of the preseason.

Granted, New Jersey's roster was built of likely AHL-bound players with the main group playing Ottawa up in Prince Edward Island, but a great goal is a great goal.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey is a great escape from the world of politics, at least according to Gary Bettman.

Following a weekend in which a series of player protests highlighted the NFL schedule, the NHL's commissioner said he doesn't personally believe the displays would be well received in hockey.

"I think fans come to see the games and watch the great things our athletes do," Bettman told Sportsnet's Ken Reid. "I'm not sure they want to come for an evening of politics.

"But in the final analysis, I have great respect for our players. Ultimately, there are individual choices people have to make, and you respect them."

Bettman's remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump stated that NFL owners should fire players who kneel during the national anthem, a comment that drew plenty more protests from players on Sunday.

Related: Penguins still plan to visit White House; support rights of others to protest

Bettman, however, doesn't believe the issue will move into hockey.

"I love the fact that we play the anthems and our players have respected them," he said.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers forward Andrew Desjardins has been suspended two preseason games for an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Monday.

The incident in question occurred in the first period of Saturday's game, during which Desjardins received a match penalty for illegal check to the head.

The news is not great for Desjardins who will now miss the Rangers' final two preseason games Monday and Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 31-year-old is currently on a professional tryout with the club.

Meanwhile, Wood appears to have escaped serious injury as he passed concussion protocol upon examination after the hit, he told NorthJersey.com's Andrew Gross.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens are playing with fire.

Not literally, but the team dressed one goalie - Al Montoya - for Monday's preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after scheduled starter Charlie Lindgren fell prey to a lower-body injury prior to puck drop.

Carey Price didn't make the trip, leaving Jake Hildebrand as the emergency backup.

Hildebrand is a 24-year-old undrafted goalie who made three appearances for the AHL's Rockford IceHogs last season. His only other professional experience came at the ECHL level following four years at Michigan State University.

Godspeed, Montoya.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Burrows and the Ottawa Senators are sure lucky it's still just the preseason.

The New Jersey Devils jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first period of Monday night's contest - being played in Prince Edward Island, Canada - and highlighted the frame with a dazzling display by Kyle Palmieri.

The 26-year-old brought the puck into the Senators' zone before slipping it through the legs of Burrows and setting up Pavel Zacha for a tap-in to give the Devils a 4-0 advantage.

It would appear the Senators still have a few issues to straighten out before the start of the regular season.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.