Dazzle

@NewbieCanuckFan
The problem is that 7 years ago and beyond that, he could've drafted a goalie for starters in any round, or a serviceable forward or defenceman, and we'd still be afloat.

The only players of any consequence that he ever drafted was Hodgson, Hutto, and Horvat, during his 6 years here. Horrible.

He traded for a 24 year old goalie that was 4th in Vezina voting a season ago.  Also signed undrafted 24 year old Tanev.  (should clarify both were 24 years old when Benning was hired).  

Right now our blueline is a complete mess.  None of them can play defense even on the level of a 31 year old Hamhuis (his age when Benning came aboard) save Schmidt (who is 30 years old now himself).  That's not on Gillis.

Ultimately he was fired for his inability to draft.  When new GM's come into a job, of course there's going to be problems.  If there weren't, the job wouldn't be open (barring previous GM moving voluntarily elsewhere).

The Schneider trade was a bad trade at first glance: trading away a known commodity (with a lack of developed goaltending prospects) for an unknown quantity, in which scouting is obviously a weak point of Gillis.

If Dreger is to be believed, the return from Edmonton was supposedly a lot better than just a 9th. We'll never know. I'm not saying we 'should've' done that trade, but the return for ONLY a 9th is just bad.

Hence my point, had Horvat not panned out, he would've been yet another long list of failed prospects. Gillis smugly said that his teams usually drafted "24 and above".