Definitely. Not only the vastly improved roster but our start to the season was miles better. We don't compete like last year and it's obvious we should be better than where we are
We were like 2-7 in our 9 games in October last year, and 7-2 in our first 9 games in October this year. How we ended up at the same place honestly mystifies me. I don't even want to think about where we'd be if we didn't get Godlike goaltending for that long stretch
It's not mystifying at all .. The team was playing shoddy defense (plus bad goaltending) while scoring at an unsustainable rate. In trying to adjust their defensive play they lost their best scorer for a bit and the offense dried up with two of the major catalysts that are young players (Marner/Nylander) struggling.
If you think this team is in the top-tier category of the league you need to get your expectations in check. The Leafs were a bubble team that squeaked in with career years from Bozak and Kadri with unprecedented contributions from the rookies. It's unreasonable to ask all of those players to repeat their performances. Plus there is disregard for decline in other players level of play.
On top of that the only major additions were Marleau and Hainsey. They are helpful additions but not "put your team over the top and into the elite category" additions. Marleau has help maintain the Leafs elite offensive status despite Marner/Nylander's slumps, and Hainsey has helped the d-core a fair bit.
The end result is a team that should be a bit better than last year and therefore not have to rely on the second last game of the season to clinch a playoff spot. And that is where they are at. They're not contenders yet.