Growing up among the Islanders, Marshall Warren now has a chance to play for them
Marshall Warren of Laurel Hollow at Islanders rookie camp on Friday. Credit: James Escher
Almost all of the prospects at Islanders rookie camp knew something of the organization growing up. Laurel Hollow’s Marshall Warren actually knew some Islanders.
Now the 23-year-old defenseman is starting his journey to perhaps one day play for the team.
“I grew up an Islander fan, so it’s surreal,” Warren said during the team’s rookie camp, which concluded its third day on Saturday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “When I was on the [Long Island] Gulls, my coaches were [ex-Islanders] Doug Weight, Steve Staios, Bill Guerin. We had a rock star coaching staff. It was really cool just being in the locker room with those guys.
“I remember being in the wives’ box at the [Nassau] Coliseum. It’s kind of come full circle now,” added Warren, who signed his entry-level contract with the Islanders in April after becoming a sixth-round pick of the Wild in 2019 but not signing with that organization.
Weight used to give Warren tours of the Islanders’ facility when they trained at Iceworks in Syosset. This summer, after signing his contract, Warren played “a lot” of golf with current Islanders Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech as he spent the offseason training on Long Island.
None of those associations or experiences mean Warren definitely will be an Islander himself someday. That he has to prove.
The left-shooting Warren, listed by the Islanders at 5-11, 189 pounds, played four seasons for Boston College and was the Eagles’ captain as a senior. Granted a fifth season of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Warren had four goals and 14 assists in 41 games for Michigan last season and was an alternate captain.
He also played two games for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, where he likely will dress this season, at least to start.
“Good skater, certainly showed a physical side and he shoots the puck well and jumps in the rush,” said Bridgeport coach Rick Kowalsky, who is overseeing the on-ice practices at rookie camp. “He’s a big personality. I know the history of Long Island. The physical element is a thing we’re really going to try and embrace with him.
“A lot of those college free agents that come out and then add on that extra year, now you’ve got a 24-year-old man. They have an advantage for sure that way. They’ve had more gym time. They’ve had more time to mature.”
Warren also played lacrosse and tennis as a youth before focusing on hockey.
“My sister was figure skating at Iceworks and my mom was like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to get on the ice, you’ve got to start skating,’ ” Warren said.
“I’ll tell you a funny story. At the boards at Iceworks when you walk into the main rink, I was the size of the boards, so I’d always duck under. And all the hockey guys are walking through and I’m so embarrassed. Now I’m the one still playing hockey and they’re not. I’m still friends with some of those guys. It’s crazy the way it works.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
