Laurel Hollow native Marshall Warren was recalled by the New York Islanders and is set to make his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The 5-foot-11 defenseman described the journey from fan to player as surreal, reflecting on his childhood at Islanders Iceworks. Warren's strong start in the AHL with Bridgeport earned him the call-up after a solid training camp.
Marshall Warren's drive to Long Island on Thursday afternoon brought back a flood of childhood memories as the Laurel Hollow native headed to join the New York Islanders following his recall from Bridgeport. "It was pretty emotional, it’s been a crazy journey," Warren said. "I was driving here thinking about how I was a little kid at Iceworks, skating in that Islanders program and I never would have thought I’d be in this position. It’s surreal, I don’t have any words for it."
Growing up, Warren spent much of his time at Islanders Iceworks, the team's former practice facility, participating in Jr. Islanders summer camps from age six to 14. He often watched practices and built connections with players, staff, and even Zamboni drivers. "I was a diehard Islanders fan growing up, I still am," Warren said. "I had really good mentors along the way, a lot of good people from the organization are still here. All the Zamboni guys and the guys in the pro shop that helped me tape my stick and sharpen my skates, those are special connections. I have so many lifelong friends that I met around the rink and Iceworks."
In his second full AHL season with Bridgeport, the 195-pound blueliner started hot with five points (two goals, three assists) in his first four games, earning AHL Player of the Week honors on Oct. 13. Last season, he recorded 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 53 games. Warren learned of his recall from Bridgeport coach Rocky Thompson after practice, followed by a call from Islanders GM and EVP Mathieu Darche, who encouraged him to embrace the opportunity.
"He was really good in training camp," head coach Patrick Roy said. "It’s nice to see him getting rewarded for how well he’s been doing." Warren stood out in preseason, scoring a goal in the Islanders' 3-2 shootout loss to the Flyers in the opener—the same opponent for his debut. Teammate Bo Horvat praised his energy: "He’s just super happy to be here, he has a smile on his face every day. He works hard every day on the ice and in the gym, we’re happy to have him up."
Warren becomes the third Long Island native to debut with the Islanders, following Kyle Palmieri of Smithtown and Chris Ferraro of Port Jefferson. He anticipates an emotional rookie lap before Saturday's game. "It’ll be pretty surreal," Warren said. "Inside I’ll be a little kid, but I’ll have a game face when I do it."