The Toronto Maple Leafs are a little ahead of where most had them at this point.

After Wednesday's overtime loss in Pittsburgh, they're on pace for 93 points and have the 16th best record in the NHL, putting them in the mushy middle, but high enough that making the playoffs remains a realistic goal.

A lot of their game is similar to last season, when they finished with 84 points after crashing out of the race late.

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They've improved at possession but only up to 46 per cent.

They've improved the extent to which they're outshot, but they're still outshot by an average of more than two a game.

There's room for improvement on special teams and in goal, but one of the biggest differences from a year ago is that the record the Leafs have put up to date is supported by the underlying data.

It's sustainable, in other words, when last year it really wasn't.

What follows is a player-by-player look at the first 22 games of Toronto's season. As always with these things, I grade based on expectations, role and salary, meaning someone like Richard Panik ($735,000) has to do a whole lot less than Dion Phaneuf ($7-million) to get a good grade.

Players are sorted by minutes played per game and only those with 10 games played are graded. Somewhere in the C+ to B- range is considered average, and the Leafs are graded on being the Leafs, not the Los Angeles Kings.

Forwards: B

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James van Riemsdyk: B-. The tough thing with giving a single grade to each player is there's a lot going into what a player does on the ice every night. JVR is a good example because a lot of people will look at the point totals and say, "hey, this young guy is on pace for 34 goals and 63 points! Both would be career highs. So that's an A+ right?" Not necessarily. Van Riemsdyk gets plum minutes on the top line and top power play unit, so he's going to produce. What's noticeable about him this season is he's been far less noticeable in games, and if you look at the underlying data, it doesn't tell a great story. He's last among forwards in possession (43.6 per cent) and has significantly contributed to that first line being a defensive liability by cheating for offence. For the Leafs to take the next step, it can't all be about points, especially for this top line.

Tyler Bozak: B. That said, you have to like some of the offensive elements the top line is bringing. Bozak's minutes have been cut more than two minutes a game, but he's producing more, even with his on-ice shooting percentage dropping down into the league average range. Bozak is always a controversial player because of all the minutes he gets and the fact he struggles defensively against top opposition, but what's positive is he's been a lot more involved in the offence this year. Beyond the points, he's shooting the puck a lot more, generating a more respectable 5.3 shots per 60 minutes at even strength (up 40 per cent) and doubling his shot rate on the power play. Half of his points are coming on special teams, which doesn't seem sustainable, but the production is certainly there, for the second year in a row. A great breakaway and shootout player, Bozak may be miscast as a first liner getting 20 minutes a night but that's not on him. And it's hard to argue he hasn't improved his offensive game from where it was two or three years ago when it looked like he topped out at 50 points. The last 80 games, he has one shy of 70.

Phil Kessel: B+. Why the higher grade for Kessel? The thing is he's the engine that drives that entire line. You can see it when he gets out there with different players, including the rare double shift on the fourth line. Panik looked like a world beater with him at one point. Kessel's tied for 10th in NHL scoring and is on pace for his first 40-goal campaign. He looks like he's trying more in the defensive zone, and he has the best possession rating of anyone on the first unit. When they win, he's often the reason why.

Joffrey Lupul: B. The unfortunate broken hand he suffered in practice has limited what we've seen of Lupul, but early in the year with Nazem Kadri and Dan Winnik, he was very effective at driving play, which isn't his norm. There's not a lot of offence there with only three points in 10 games, but if he continues to play like that, it will come. The defensive improvements are encouraging, too.

Nazem Kadri: B. We could probably start a Kadri-themed show and call it Everybody Hates Naz. It seems no matter what Kadri does, he's a talking point in Toronto, and this year it's typically been about his lack of offensive production. The reality? His even strength production is up quite a bit despite the fact he's played a lot with Winnik and David Clarkson, and it's the failures of the second power play unit that have really impacted his totals. Next to Lupul, Kadri has been Toronto's best possession player in these early days, and he's not getting hugely sheltered minutes. Again, the offence should come – but only if he gets that power play time and the unit as a whole starts playing a lot better – and there's a strong argument he deserves more opportunities rather than fewer.

Leo Komarov: A+. I don't know what more you could ask for. GM Dave Nonis was adamant Komarov could contribute a lot more than he did the last time around and that's proved 100 per cent accurate so a tip of a cap to him. Komarov's been a part of the penalty kill's improvement and is tied for 27th in the NHL in even strength scoring. Adjusted for ice time, he's 25th, putting up 2.64 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play to put him in the range of guys like Kessel and Evgeni Malkin. The most remarkable thing is how much calmer and confident he is with the puck, making passes we never saw in 2012-13. Komarov's on-ice shooting percentage is sky high and will come down, but he's already proven there's more talent here than most thought. He looks like a second line player right now, and a bargain of one at least than $3-million.

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David Clarkson: D. In the non-bargain department… there's been an awful lot of ink spilled in the media saying how dramatically improved Clarkson's game is, but he still takes poor penalties and he's still on pace for 26 points despite ample opportunity with good players and power play time. His contract is so horrific it's difficult to find a silver lining here. If they can move it, somehow, they need to before it costs them the opportunity to keep other players.

Dan Winnik: A-. Winnik was outstanding before suffering a scary head injury in his return to Colorado, showcasing why he's been a strong possession and PK player around the league. It's hard to imagine why he hung around in free agency as long as he did in July, as he brings size, a good head for the game and some speed that makes him effective down low and in the neutral zone. There's a reason he was a second line player on a 116-point Anaheim team last year. The Leafs desperately needed more good two-way players like him last season, especially given coach Randy Carlyle likes leaning heavily on his vets at key times in games. They should look to re-up him come the new year, especially if they can get him cheaply.

Peter Holland: B. Holland has finally gotten some more opportunities in more situations and proven that he belongs in the NHL. Where exactly he belongs – on a second, third or fourth line – isn't entirely clear. His defensive game, for example, needs work, but at 23 years old, he has time to figure that out. Holland has scored a couple highlight reel goals because he brings size and some finesse and is part of the increased forward depth that has been talked about so often with this team.

Mike Santorelli: B+. For one thing, he's on pace for 45 points despite playing only 13 minutes a night. So there's an argument to be made he should be playing more, including some spot duty on both special teams. Santorelli's a really quiet, low maintenance presence in the dressing room, but you can see him working on his game more than probably any other Leaf in practice and at morning skates. Injuries have largely derailed his career, but he is only 28 years old and has been a 20-goal man in this league in the past. You can see why.

Richard Panik: B. I'll be honest: The first few games Panik played for the Leafs, I couldn't comprehend why they had picked him up on waivers from Tampa. He looked positively lost in the spot duty he was given on the fourth line, wandering around the ice and rarely having an impact. But when injuries hit and he moved up the lineup, you could see the offensive instincts come out. Another fairly big body with a big shot, Panik is the perfect example of the type of player the Leafs were missing out on by carrying two enforcers the last couple years. He's cheap, he can move up the lineup, and, at 23, there could be more here.

Defence: C+

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Dion Phaneuf: C+. His minutes are down, but not really by much, and that will likely be wiped out with Roman Polak out for a month. But Phaneuf has been given some easier assignments this year, most clearly in terms of zone starts, which have risen from ridiculously low last season (37.6 per cent) to respectable (48 per cent). Using him in less onerous defensive situations is the biggest reason he hasn't been a possession black hole but having Cody Franson as a partner ranks up there, too. Phaneuf still makes poor reads in his own zone and he's not producing a lot of offence at even strength, but based on expectations, you'd be hard pressed to say he's had a poor season. This is what he is.

Roman Polak: C+. Polak kind of fits into the Bozak conversation. He's overused for what he is – leading the team in even strength ice time (!) – but he doesn't make a whole lot of money and has played above expectations. Barring Carl Gunnarsson vastly outplaying him in St. Louis, which has yet to happen, it'll be hard to get too worked up about the trade. But the fact Polak is playing so much is one indication of how much further this team has to go on the back end.

Cody Franson: A-. Yes, Franson isn't the most mobile man out there. And yes he can get caught sometimes defensively. But he does a lot of subtle things well, and it's those things that are going to get him hugely rewarded in the off-season as a free agent. Franson is tied for 10th in scoring among NHL defencemen and tied for eighth in even strength points. He holds the line very well at the blueline, quarterbacks a good power play unit and can make a good first pass out of his zone. He's likely underrated in Toronto because of the miscues, but even with increased responsibilities playing with Phaneuf, he seems to have cut down on the blunders. Given Franson's age and career trajectory, the Leafs have to think long and hard about getting him signed long term after years of not wanting to commit. He's a unique player, but he's been effective.

Jake Gardiner: D-. There's really not a whole lot of good things you can say about Jake Gardiner's season. No offence, questionable defence and underlying numbers that are going the wrong way. He looks nothing like the defenceman that was probably the Leafs best player over the last 20 to 25 games of last season. They really need him to get going here given the contract he signed in the off-season.

Morgan Rielly: C+. Rielly's been very quiet overall and has said he feels he needs to up his game with Polak out. You can't really call this a sophomore slump as he looks similar to what he was a year ago, with the added bonus of generating more shots. He has all the tools to make more of an impact; it's likely a matter of time.

Stephane Robidas: D+. We'll spare the classy veteran a failing grade given what he's gone through in the injury department. But a three-year deal for the 37-year-old is looking extremely ill-advised at this point.

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Goalies: C+

Jonathan Bernier: B-. Bernier is going to have an awfully tough time living up to the terrific first season he had in Toronto. So far, he's merely been okay – rarely stealing games and rarely being the sole cause of a loss. The encouraging thing for the Leafs is their record is as good as it is without Bernier being the saviour. If his play picks up, it's a big bonus. If this is what he is the rest of the way, however, expect the Leafs to play hardball on his next contract.

James Reimer: C. Reimer's had some great nights, some poor ones and others where he's been left in goal to flail while the team pulled a no-show in front of him. His last two appearances against Buffalo and Nashville were particularly ugly and explain his ghastly save percentages to a large extent. The ultimate end goal of both the Leafs and Reimer is to move him to another team where he can start more. He'll have to be better to help facilitate that.

Coach

Randy Carlyle: C+. Give Carlyle credit for this much: He's tried to adapt. You can see some of the new assistant coaches' and the analytics department's ideas at work on a lot of nights, and there have been line combinations and defensive pairings that are much more out of the box than what Carlyle attempted a year ago. He has also done very well in handling the media in what have been a couple trying situations, something his predecessor never figured out. Expectations on the staff were low coming into the season, too, and systemically there are still problems. Perhaps the biggest indictment of Carlyle this season has been the play of the kids, as more development from Kadri, Gardiner and Rielly was expected. He remains an odd fit for what this team is, and his track record speaks for itself, but the results have been better than a year ago. His ultimate grade from on high will likely be if this team makes the postseason or not. Right now, they're tracking to be there.