NY Islanders rookie and Long Island native Marshall Warren thrilled with opportunity to play for his hometown team

It hasn't been uncommon for Long Island native's to pass up on signing with the NY Islanders in favor of their metropolitan area rivals the NY Rangers.

A few seasons ago, Bobby Trivigno, an NCAA free agent out of UMASS, who grew up in Setauket, elected to sign with the Rangers over the Islanders. More famously, the Rangers' star defenseman, Adam Fox, who grew up in Jericho, forced his way out of the Flames and Hurricanes organizations to play for the Rangers.

Last season, the Islanders signed Marshall Warren, a free-agent defenseman from Laurel Hollow who finished his collegiate career with the University of Michigan. Growing up on Long Island, Marshall was an Islanders fan his whole life and is beaming with the opportunity to play for his hometown team at rookie camp.

"I grew up an Islanders fan so it's surreal," Warren said after his first day of rookie camp. "When I was on the [Long Island] Gulls, my coaches were Doug Weight, Steve Staios, Bill Guerin - we had a rock star coaching staff so it was really cool."

Warren speaks about playing at Ice Works in Syosset while growing up, the former practice facility of the Islanders, and being shown around by former players.

"To me those guys were superstars," says Warren. "Just being able to live that as a kid and now in rookie camp, it's pretty cool."

Warren has been paired the first two days of camp with last year's rookie camp standout, Isaiah George. George is coming off an OHL championship with the London Knights, as it appears this could be a potential pairing to start the season in Bridgeport,