I don't think the current roster would be "god Awful." Last season was a mess in every aspect.
Adding a healthy Couts and Hayes is a huge boost, as is young players like York, Zamula, Cates, Tippett, Frost, Allison, Laczynski and eventually Foerster et al.
TDA in effect replaces Ellis.
The key is Tort's ability to get the most out of a young roster, they may start slow but they'll be a bitch to play against after a couple months. And with young legs they'll be able to pressure for 60 minutes.
I'd have preferred they kept Lindblom, ignored JG, and moved JVR when they could garner an asset by retaining salary.
You play the kids, see who emerges, take your top 10 draft pick next summer and add Gauthier after a year of playing center in college. Give him a season to adjust to NHL speed, then you can move Hayes with two years left on his deal in the summer of 2024, have 2 1st rd picks and a lot of cap room. If Foerster is ready or Allison healthy, you can also move out Atkinson.
That's a two year reload, at the end of which Couts is your only player over 30.
But first you have to throw Clarke and Holmgren under a bus and exile Scott somewhere in Comcast land.