Staff photo / Brian Yauger Phantoms forward Malachi McKinnon participates in one of the team’s main camp scrimmages at Printscape Arena in Canonsburg, Pa.

Last week on social media, the Youngstown Phantoms announced that forward Malachi McKinnon would be joining the team in the fall.

McKinnon was traded to the Phantoms as an affiliate player from Fargo in the deal that sent Kuzma Voronin, affiliate player Andrei Molgachev and draft capital to North Dakota in exchange for McKinnon, Peter Cisar and a pair of draft picks.

While adding Cisar was important for the team’s playoff hopes, the chance to add a player like McKinnon was a big plus in making the move.

“Malachi was a very important part of this trade for us,” Phantoms GM Jason Deskins said when the trade was announced in February. “His brain, stick and ability to make others around him better is something we wanted to bring into the organization. We also learned that he is a very well-liked teammate and someone that you want in your locker room if you want to win championships. We are thrilled to have him in our program as it’s hard to find kids with his talent and character.”

This past season, McKinnon played in the BCHL with the Sherwood Park Crusaders, scoring 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists) in 34 games.

Describing himself as a playmaker, McKinnon likes to make things happen. Goals, setting up plays, whatever he needs to do – he just wants to be on the ice. McKinnon made a strong impression in camp, and the Phantoms hope he can be a real impact player this season.

“Malachi has been awesome,” Phantoms coach Ryan Ward said. “He’s a great kid. He’s super excited to be here, I think just the way he carries himself, and he’s just an infectious person in a positive way, and he’s made some unbelievable plays. He looks phenomenal, and we’re really, really excited to add him as a weapon to our team.”

McKinnon got his first experience with the Phantoms during the team’s main camp in Canonsburg, Pa. last month. Despite just meeting his future teammates earlier that week, you can already tell a connection is forming.

“It’s just an unbelievable group,” McKinnon said. “Great guys. Every time we hang out, they’re already throwing chirps, which is a good thing. It feels like I’m already in, so they’ve been unbelievable to me.”

McKinnon is coming from the BCHL, but has some experience in the USHL. The Forest Lake, Minnesota native played nine games over the last two seasons with Fargo, so he has an idea of what to expect when he makes the leap full-time.

“Speedwise, it’s pretty similar,” McKinnon said. “There’s older guys, but I think the biggest thing is it’s just very defensive in a good way, where you’ve got to find different pockets of space. So I’m excited to see the translation here, because I’m excited to be with the group that we have here.”

McKinnon fits the mold of the type of forwards the Phantoms like. Hockey IQ is a big thing for the Phantoms’ staff, and he’s got it.

“We always look for competitiveness and awareness in hockey IQ, I think he checks all those boxes in a huge way,” Ward said. “For me, just seeing him here and the positivity he brings and he competes his butt off, I think our fans in Youngstown are going to absolutely love this kid, and he’s going to kind of embody what it means to be a Phantom.”

Committed to the University of Maine for the 2026-27 season, McKinnon will spend the year with the Phantoms getting ready to make the leap to college.

His main goal this year is to be out there and be involved.

“I just want to be a part of every game,” McKinnon said. “Taking part in every game, being a problem on the ice for the other team, and I think that’s my biggest goal. Find some way to be involved in the game. Whether that’s – it could be eating a shot. It’s also being able to put a goal on the board or also making big plays when they need to be played.

NEW ACQUISITION

The Phantoms announced Tuesday they have acquired defenseman Jack Hamilton from Tri-City in exchange for a conditional 8th-round pick in Phase II of the 2026 Draft.

Hamilton, a 6-foot-5 blueliner from Powell, is expected to help shore up the Phantoms’ defensive unit.