OK - better quality players then? But, not sure how better skaters, better goalies and better coaching does not translate to better quality …..???
If the OP was about more entertaining hockey, then maybe he word "entertaining" should have been used.
The Leafs of the 1980’s were lacking in many areas from ownership to management, coaches, scouts, development of their draft picks and ill-advised trades - the worst being the incomprehensible trading in 1989 by general manager Floyd Smith of the Leafs’ first round draft choice in a year where future franchise type players such as Eric Lindros and Scott Niedermayer were available. Smith traded this pick for journeyman defenseman Tom Kurvers.
I guess we've sunk so low that we are now envious of the Ballard era?