The 1995 Draft
With Wesley in the lineup, the Whalers finished four points out of a playoff spot in 1994-95. Their pick landed at #9 overall, while the Bruins fell in the conference quarterfinals. With the 9th pick, Boston selected Kyle McLaren. He spent seven seasons in Boston, facing the Hurricanes in their first postseason series in 1999. He played 719 games over his 12-year career with Boston and San Jose.
The top of the 1995 Draft had many notable NHLers. Shane Doan, who went 7th to Winnipeg, might've been a possibility if the Whalers dropped a few spots without Wesley's production. Radek Dvorak, who ended his NHL career with the Hurricanes in 2013-14, went to Florida at #10. Future Hall-of-Famer Jerome Iginla was taken 11th by the Stars. All would've been excellent additions.
The Whalers still owned a pick in the first round after sending Pat Verbeek to the New York Rangers. With that pick, the Whalers selected goalie Jean-Sebastian Giguere. His tenure in the organization was brief, appearing in eight games before being traded to the Flames. Giguere's best work came as a Duck, where he won the Conn Smythe in a losing effort in 2003 before winning the Cup in 2007.