Islanders extend contract of Laurel Hollow's Marshall Warren
Islanders defenseman Marshall Warren sets before a faceoff against the New Jersey Devils in the first period of an NHL hockey game at UBS Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Marshall Warren knows how much Rocky Thompson helped him last season. The Laurel Hollow defenseman is hoping to continue that player-coach relationship this season with the Islanders now that Thompson has been promoted to coach Pete DeBoer’s NHL staff after one season leading the organization’s AHL affiliate.
The Islanders announced on Friday that Warren, 25, had agreed to a new one-year, two-way deal. The contract is worth $850,000 for the NHL/$100,000 for the AHL and Warren will head to September’s training camp for the Islanders hoping to earn a roster spot in his third season in the organization.
“The biggest thing is just to have a really good camp and be able to compete, be in shape and give myself the best foot forward and, hopefully, show people what I can do,” Warren told Newsday after the deal was announced. “Last year was a big year for me, just kind of learning everything and taking my first NHL game.
“Coach Rocky did such a good job with me of instilling so many parts of my game and showing me how to develop. He developed me into the defenseman that I am today. Honestly, it’s all credit to Rocky. Sometimes a coach just gets a player and he knows the style of play he wants to play. It’s cool he’s still in the organization so, hopefully, I’ll be able to see him.”
The 5-11, 195-pound left-shooting Warren had six goals and 26 assists in 56 AHL games for Bridgeport and three assists in eight games for the Islanders, making his NHL debut on Oct. 25 in Philadelphia.
“We all love when we see an 18-year-old somewhere like Matthew Schaefer,” Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said during the team’s breakup day on April 15 of the No. 1 overall pick who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. “But the reality is most guys need time to develop. But I want, at training camp next, if there’s a young guy that deserves to be on this team, we’ll make a spot for him.”
That might not be the easiest task for Darche.
Schaefer is the Islanders’ No. 1 defenseman and power-play quarterback and veterans Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield are all under long-term contracts, all with either no-trade or modified no-trade clauses. Alexander Romanov will be ready for training camp after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury. Veteran Tony DeAngelo is an unrestricted free agent with interest on both sides for his return. And left-handed Isaiah George, 22, is also expected to make a strong push to make the lineup.
Warren will get his chance but a return to the AHL, with the Islanders’ affiliate relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, is also a possibility.
“I don’t know anything at all about [Hamilton], to be honest,” Warren said with a laugh. “We’ll see.”
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.
More Islanders
