From Long Island & Back Again: Reflections On Warren’s NHL Debut
Marshall Warren recorded two assists in his NHL debut, playing for his hometown New York Islanders.
Seeing Long Island native Marshall Warren live out his dream of skating on the New York Islanders’ blue line was something special. Even though he appeared cool, calm, and collected during his rookie lap, you could tell — this was a moment he would never forget.
While he didn’t play a ton of minutes in his NHL debut, 11:20 in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, he took advantage, recording two assists.
His first was as a slick backdoor feed to Anthony Duclair to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead at 6:15 of the second:
During the first intermission, MSG Networks’ Shannon Hogan caught up with the rookie to get his thoughts on his rookie lap and first NHL point:
But Warren wasn’t done making an impact, recording his second assist at 4:21 of the third to give the Islanders a 3-2 lead after Maxim Tsyplakov deflected his point shot:
“It was pretty emotional,” Warren said postgame. “A lot of hard work. Would have loved to get the win there, but it was a pretty cool experience, one I’ll remember for a lifetime.”
For those who are unfamiliar with Warren’s path, he played two seasons in the USHL before being drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft by the Minnesota Wild.
He didn’t sign right away — or ever — with Minnesota, playing four years at Boston College, serving as captain his senior year (2019-23).
Instead of turning pro, Warren, who had one season of NCAA eligibility left, played at the University of Michigan, serving as an alternate captain (2023-24).
Once Warren’s collegiate career came to a close, the Bridgeport Islanders signed him to an ATO before he inked his three-year entry-level deal with the New York Islanders.
A Mother’s Lap Around The Rink: The Warrens’ Journey To Marshall’s NHL Dream
From the first moment Marshall Warren laced up the skates at just three years old, there was only one dream: play in the NHL for the New York Islanders.
After getting accustomed to the AHL game in 2024-25, Warren’s dominant showing in training camp and preseason, followed by an explosive start to the 2025-26 season, led to his recall and ultimately his NHL debut with Alexander Romanov out due to injury.
Following Warren’s first NHL game, The Elmonters reached out to people from around the hockey world who have watched his development to get their thoughts after a successful NHL debut:
Brandon Naurato, University of Michigan Head Coach
“We are so happy for Marshall and his family. What a dream to play in the NHL for your hometown team. He has earned this opportunity, and it’s a testament to the type of person he is off the ice.
He’s the type of guy who brings energy into the room when he walks in. He is a leader and a team-first guy. Marshall was always working on his craft at Michigan. He spent a lot of time with our D Coach, Matt Deschamps. He is a student of the game and still improving every day.”
Alan Fuehring, Bridgeport’s Former Radio Voice / New York Islanders Radio Voice
“I’m so happy for Marshall because I know how hard he’s worked in Bridgeport to turn his dream into a reality. He’s the most genuine kid you’ll meet, and his teammates love him there.
I sent him a text after the game expressing how proud I am of his journey and his relentless work ethic.”
Grant Hutton, Bridgeport Teammate (2024–25)
“His willingness to learn is what stood out to me. He showed up with a good attitude every day, even in bad times. Never afraid to ask questions. That’s infectious and a quality of those with high character.
It’s getting harder and harder to gauge players’ ceilings nowadays, but Marshy had all the tools to put together a good run and get on everyone’s radar… and it all comes down to attitude. The skill and will are obviously there, but positive energy breeds success. He brings that all the time.
Good people with good energy will find their way up. Marshy is a great kid with a great future, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him make the best of this opportunity.”
Jonny Lazarus, Former DI NCAA Player / Multi-Media Sports Journalist For The Daily FaceOff
“Marshall was always one of those kids you knew was different. He was such an incredible skater at a young age. It’s crazy — he was an ’01 skating with ’95s and ’96s, and he fit right in, even stood out.
I didn’t get to know him super well until the last couple of years, but he’s such a good kid and is incredibly humble. I’m so happy for him and his family to have this.”
Colby Cohen, Former NHLer & NCAA / NHL Color Analyst For ESPN
“I really enjoyed covering him. Great personality, very humble. Type of guy who just did everything well at BC and Michigan. He was the captain at BC and was the guy who showed up every single night.”
Russell Macias contributed to this story.