Marshall Warren already had the moment every Long Island kid dreams about. Now he’s chasing the tougher part: turning that taste of the NHL into something permanent.
The 25-year-old defenseman heads into Islanders training camp after signing a one-year, two-way contract in June, and he’s trying to convince the organization he can stay in the league full-time. Warren got his first call-up last October and made the most of it right away, picking up two assists in his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers.
For Warren, that debut carried the kind of meaning that goes beyond the stat line.
"It was a really special year getting to play in the NHL, especially with the Islanders," Warren told NewYorkIslanders.com."I'm an Islanders fan through and through. Growing up, I was always wearing Islanders jerseys and reading about the players, so it was a full-circle moment."
He also turned in the strongest offensive season of his pro career with Bridgeport, setting personal bests with six goals, 26 assists and 32 points in 56 AHL games. That production, paired with his skating and puck-moving touch, has put him on the radar for a bigger role this fall.
Warren has spent the offseason on Long Island, skating every day at Northwell Health Ice Center with several of the Islanders’ veteran defensemen. "I've gotten to skate with guys like Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield and Tony DeAngelo this summer," Warren said. "It really speaks to the culture we have here."
None of that guarantees anything. The Islanders’ blue line is going to be a hard place to break through, with competition expected to be stiff and established veterans, Matthew Schaefer and Isaiah George already in the mix.
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