I didn't really have a problem with the moves you mention. I liked a Hartnell and was sad to see him go, but he was downhill and it was a cap move. Probably to sign Voracek to a "market contact," (lol) so it's not all good. Voracek wasn't quite as annoying until later (I hated him by the end, so you may have just been ahead of me), but still a disaster contract.
I didn't like Schenn and wasn't upset to see him go. But I didn't hate him, either. My favorite moment was him and Crosby. It was a brilliant trade IF we didn't piss away the resulting picks. It resulted in Frost and Farabee. The problem with this was a gross miscalculation in the Nolan Patrick draft. Had they drafted Makar instead, they don't create the center glut they thought they had and probably don't make that trade.
Schenn has been a much better player in St. Louis than he was in Philly. It's hard to prove the negative, but I wonder if he has the same career arc if he'd stayed in Philly. Let's just say I'm doubtful.
I've always maintained that JVR was directed from above Hextall. It just seemed out of his norm at the time and had the smell of Holmgren interfering to fix his own perceived mistake. (His trading JVR was never the problem; just the piss poor return). I'm less likely to hang my hat on the theory as I used to be, but not entirely convinced it's bunk.
My biggest problem with Hextall is the knowledge of how bad many of the draft picks turned out. A little bit too much of the self perceived smartest guy in the room syndrome, especially at the draft. And even if I'm only partially right about JVR, it's still his name on it, so no passes.