Marshall Warren – 2019 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Marshall Warren

Vancouver THW 2019 NHL Entry Draft Guide (Square)

2018-19 Team: USA NTDP

Date of Birth: April 20, 2001

Place of Birth: Laurel Hollow, NY

Ht: 5-foot-11 Wt: 168 pounds

Shoots: Left

Position: D

NHL Draft Eligibility: 2019 first-year eligible

Rankings

NHL Central Scouting: 61st (among NA skaters)

Future Considerations: 52nd

TSN/Bob McKenzie: 94th

Dobber Prospects: 72nd  

When you play on the same team as other top prospects like Cole Caufield, Jack Hughes, and Alex Turcotte, it is hard to grab the spotlight. Despite not getting the attention some of his teammates up front have, Warren had himself a very nice season on the back end for the U.S. National Team Development Team during the 2018-19 season.

Warren scored eight goals and 34 points in 58 games for the U-18 team this past season. He was a key member of the team’s defense, playing big minutes on the top-four. He is committed to playing at Boston College next fall. If he should happen to play in the CHL instead, his rights are currently owned by the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League.

Related: NHL Draft Guide | 2019 Edition

While Warren is a bit on the small side for a defender, his excellent skating makes up for that. He has great acceleration and speed and he gets to his top speed quickly and easily no matter which direction he is heading. His impressive footwork allows him to transition from defense to offense in a hurry. He has very good puck handling abilities to go along with his skating, which helps him exit the defensive zone well.

Warren has good vision and passing skills. Both of which have come in handy when he is quarterbacking the power play. His slap shot is lacking a bit, but you figure that will improve as he matures and gets stronger.

In his own end, Warren is very hard to beat one-on-one thanks to his skating talents. He possesses a quick stick and uses it to poke check and cause turnovers. Despite is lack of size, he is not afraid of being physical. He is always willing to finish a check as well as mix it up in front of the net and in the corners.

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Marshall Warren – NHL Draft Projection

Essentially, every team in the NHL could use an offensive minded, puck-moving defenseman who is responsible in his own end. There is no doubt that Warren will get drafted this year, but it is hard to tell exactly where. He really could go anywhere from the mid-second to the fourth round.

Quotables

“He could be an effective player for a team who is willing to be patient over the next two-to-three seasons. Warren’s game is reminiscent of Duncan Keith. However, this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill or ability.” Ben Kerr/Last Word on Hockey

“[Warren] just closes on his opponent. So aggressive on his line rush against. He gets north. He plays on angles. I think Duncan, in the prime of his career, he’s probably a little bit better of a power-play quarterback than [Warren] is, but there’s a lot of room to grow. Different guys take on different identities at different times. I don’t remember what Duncan was like at a young age on the power play, but this guy plays his 5-on-5 game a lot like Duncan Keith.” USNTDP coach John Wroblewski

“Warren shines in his own zone, where his game is developed, but that prowess doesn’t translate to the offensive end. When attacking, Warren typically fails to make any major contributions. His hard shot from the point can be a good weapon, and he can at times be effective in joining the rush, but his offensive tool kit is lacking compared to some of the others.” Sam Happi/The Puck Authority

Marshall Warren of the U.S. National Development Team
Marshall Warren is an intriguing defensive prospect. (courtesy USHL)

Strengths

  • Skating
  • Wrist shot
  • Physicality

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Upper-body strength
  • Slap shot

NHL Potential

If everything goes right for Warren, he could max out as a top-four NHL defenseman. He’s got the scoring instincts to warrant multiple chances to make it at the highest level. As he gets bigger and stronger at Boston College, he will become more of an intriguing prospect. Whoever does draft him will have to be patient because Warren is at least three years away from seriously contesting for a professional roster spot.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3/5 | Reward – 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 6/10 | Defense – 8/10

Awards/Achievements

Warren started to load up his resume back in 2017 when he an All-American Defenseman for the U16 North Jersey Avalanche, helping them to the AYHL National Championship. He also racked up the most points by a defenseman in the U16 T1EHL that season.

He shined on the international stage as well with Team USA. Warren won a Gold Medal at the 2018 U17 World Junior Championship and a Bronze Medal at the 2019 U18 World Junior Championship.

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