Marino was Boston area kid who ended up at Harvard.
The greater Boston hockey community is very tight/loyal, I wouldn't call it insular, but there are so many nearby opportunities to play, get an education, eventually play pro, or coach, etc... many kids just never even consider the idea that they'd ever need to leave New England.
So it's never surprising to me when you see a college kid find a loophole or leverage point to get them back on the East Coast where they can choose from 10 teams that are a short shuttle flight to home.