Sam Reinhart’s WHL return gives the Kootenay Ice options

Kootenay Ice general manager Jeff Chynoweth has a tough decision to make. He could benefit long-term from trading Sam Reinhart for future assets or keep the Buffalo Sabres first-round draft choice in hopes of making some noise in the playoffs.

Either way, Chynoweth should feel fortunate to have Reinhart back with the Ice in his 19-year-old season. The No. 2 overall selection of the 2014 draft was considered to have a strong shot at cracking the Sabres this year, but his early season struggles, where he notched one assist in nine games, pushed Buffalo to make the safer move for his long-term development.

“I was disappointed when I heard the news,” says Reinhart, who scored 36 goals and 105 points in 60 games last year, on being sent back to junior. “There was no question that I was disappointed, but my focus quickly turned back to Kootenay and the world juniors. I see opportunity and benefits from coming back to Kootenay.”

Reinhart would be the most sought-after player at the Jan. 10 trade deadline if Chynoweth decides to shop him. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound centre is the best forward in the WHL and would turn a handful of clubs from simply playoff teams to wildcards or contenders. Moreover, it almost wouldn’t even be fair if teams like the Brandon Wheat Kings or Kelowna Rockets acquired him because they would go from a powerhouse to an all-star team.

It would appear that Reinhart could fetch a similar package to what the Saskatoon Blades gave up for Brayden Schenn in 2011. Then-Blades GM Lorne Molleken traded two first-round bantam picks, a second-round bantam pick, a first-round import pick, a top prospect and a mid-level prospect for the Philadelphia Flyers centre.

However, when breaking down this year’s trade market, it might not be the best year to shop a star forward on the last year of his junior career. Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton and Wheat Kings GM-head coach Kelly McCrimmon don’t have a history of making huge trades that completely deflate their prospect and draft pick cupboards. In addition, the Rockets and Wheat Kings might not need to make a big trade deadline deal because they have strong enough rosters as is to take a serious run at the Ed Chynoweth Cup. The Portland Winterhawks could be a buyer at the deadline because the U.S. Division is fairly wide open and this is their last crack at a title with Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nicolas Petan. But it seems it would make more sense for them to add a premier defenceman like Prince Albert Raiders star Josh Morrissey if they were to add at the deadline. The Medicine Hat Tigers and Calgary Hitmen are two Alberta team that may show interest in the North Vancouver, B.C., native, but the Ice would likely prefer to trade him outside of the Central Division.

Even if the best package offered for Reinhart were something along the lines of a first-round bantam pick, a second-round bantam pick, a top prospect and a mid-level prospect, the Ice would greatly benefit from the trade down the road. Look no further than the Wheat Kings for a team that is reaping the rewards of trading their veteran forwards such as Schenn and Michael Ferland in years where they didn’t have the guns to go on a playoff run. On the flip side, the Regina Pats could be in a much better situation right now if they traded star players like Jordan Weal and Jordan Eberle in their 19-year-old seasons. All they have to show for keeping those snipers now is some playoff cash.

As it stands, the Ice would go into the 2015 bantam draft without a first-round draft choice. Chynoweth traded it last year to the Kamloops Blazers, who later shipped it to the Blades, in the Tim Bozon deal. So on one hand trading Reinhart could lead to handing Saskatoon a high draft choice, but on the other hand there’s a need for Kootenay to recoup a first-round pick.

At the other end of the spectrum, Reinhart has two goals and seven points and the Ice have won three straight since he returned to the Dub. His return plus having St. Louis Blues prospect Jaedon Descheneau, Toronto Maple Leafs pick Rinat Valiev and Bozon in their arsenal gives the Ice a strong shot at bouncing back from their poor 7-13-0-0 start to the season. They ultimately could even win a playoff round or two because of their offensive talent despite their lackluster defensive play. But taking into account Kootenay will be without Reinhart and possibly Valiev during the world junior championship, they will need depth players to step up during that time or an extremely strong late-season push to crack the second season.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen