Marshall Warren goes from Isles Fan to Isles Prospect

When Marshall Warren was in the stands for the New York Islanders playoff series against the Boston Bruins back in 2021, the Laurel Hollow native had a crazy thought.

“I was sitting there thinking, wouldn’t it be cool to play for this team someday?” Warren said. “And now I signed with the team. It's crazy how things come full circle.”

Every athlete dreams of signing with their hometown team - but it’s rare to get that lucky. For Warren, inking a two-year, entry level contract with the New York Islanders on Tuesday felt like a dream come true.

“I’m the biggest Islander fan, I have so many pictures of myself in Islander jerseys growing up,” Warren said.

Growing up, Warren spent a lot of time at Islanders Iceworks, which was the team’s official practice facility at the time, eager to be at the rink any chance he could get. In addition to skating there and participating in Jr. Islanders summer camps from the ages of 6-14, he also watched countless Islanders practices, paying close attention to defenseman Nick Leddy.

“I looked up to Nick Leddy as a kid,” Warren said. “I used to watch him skate in practice, just the way he got up and down the ice was helpful to watch. I always looked up to him and tried to model my game after him.”

The 6”1 and 185 lbs. blueliner recently wrapped up a solid collegiate career in the NCAA. Warren played four years at Boston College from 2019-23, racking up 57 points (20G, 37A) in 130 games, and serving as captain in his final season. He transferred to the University of Michigan for the 2023-24 season where his NCAA career ended with a trip to the Frozen Four, though Michigan fell to Boston College. For Islanders fans who may not follow the college game closely, Warren describes himself as a well-rounded, 200-foot defenseman.

“I like to skate, be physical and make plays,” Warren said. “I was pretty versatile in college, I played every role – power play, PK, I’ve been put in every situation.”

Perhaps the 22-year-old - who turns 23 on Saturday - enjoys skating more than the average hockey player. At the encouragement of his mother, he picked up figure skating at a young age, even though he was reluctant at first.

“My mom told me, ‘you can't play hockey until you're a good enough skater,’ so I was at Iceworks, figure skating and hiding under the boards,” Warren recalled. “Everyone on the Junior Islanders were walking by me, I was so embarrassed.”

But Warren kept at it, sharpening his figure skating skills and eventually developed an appreciation. The skillset paid dividends for the young defenseman, as his skating ability became of his best attributes.

"It’s crazy how it all worked out because now, I'm pretty good on my edges, skating around out there, playing free,” Warren said. “I'm able to skate forwards and backwards pretty fast, and that's what figure skating is all about, so it translates pretty well."

Off the ice, Warren is a natural leader and role model. Not only did he wear the “A” for Michigan in his final NCAA season and captained the Boston College in 2022-23, but he’s been giving back to the community for years. Excited to grow the game of hockey and make a difference, the 22-year-old works with Ice Hockey in Harlem, a nonprofit program that offers free hockey lessons to boys and girls from the Harlem community.

“It’s my favorite thing,” Warren said. “Seeing the smiles on their faces and the positive joy around them skating brings me to tears, really. I’m so blessed to have the opportunity to skate with these kids. Hockey in Harlem is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, I’m just blessed to be a part of it.”

Warren credits the endless support of his mom, dad and sister for shaping him into the person he is today. When asked if his family are also Islanders fans, his answer was simple.

“Everyone’s an Islander fan,” Warren said. “I mean, when you’re from Long Island it’s hard not to be.”

Some other interesting notes about the 23-year-old defenseman, he loves to play tennis and golf, while he’s also a competitive chess player. The first professional athlete he ever met was former Islander Andy Sutton, who befriended Warren and his father after a practice one day.

While Warren was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round in 2019 (166th overall), he became a free agent by playing five years in college, allowing him to sign with the Islanders. His ELC won’t kick in until next season, so he’s finishing the year on an Amateur Tryout Agreement (ATO) with Bridgeport. As Warren kicks off his pro career in Bridgeport, he’s now teammates with some familiar faces - namely Tyce Thompson, who he skated with for years growing up - and is now on the same side of the aisle as a former NCAA foe. Alex Jefferies, who is also fresh off his college hockey career after four seasons at Merrimack, signed an (ATO) with the Bridgeport at the end of March.

“I knew [Jefferies] a little bit from playing against him for three years at Boston College," Warren said. “Now that we’re both here, we can get dinner together hang out. He’s a good guy and it’s pretty cool that we’re in a similar situation.”

Although it’s only been a few short days, Warren felt immediate support from his new teammates upon arriving in Bridgeport. Surrounded by veterans to help him adjust, Warren couldn’t be more thrilled to begin his professional hockey career in the Islanders organization.

“I’ve been skating with some veteran d, they’re telling me to keep it simple and just do my thing,” Warren said. “They’re really good at giving me advice. For me, I’m just taking everything as it comes, it’s all been positive. It’s pretty cool how much they care already and how much I already feel part of the team even though it’s been three days.”