I agree with this, 7 years IMO is way more than enough time to build a decent team.
I said this in the Montreal vs Detroit thread, Moritz/Raymond are nice, but unless they take huge leaps (which they could, not saying they can't), they don't look like some massive game breakers, so they need more help. It comes down to his drafting. At 20-22, prospects (specifically forwards) need to be hitting their stride, so it'll come down to how he did with his other picks and later on in his first drafts.
It's tough because you don't want to turn into the Sabers who bottom out every year, but simultaneously you can't rush things either because unless you have top end talent, you won't compete in the league. Having a good 1D/good 1C or good goalie isn't enough, you need AT LEAST 3 amazing pieces to compete in the league and Yzerman's signings look like a man rushing the process. Sure they immediately made the team better taking them in the 7-10 range in the East, but they're nowhere near competing for a cup with the current core, nor have they been able to get the top end prospects they need to take the next step.