New York Rangers: Is Boo Nieves NHL Ready?

The New York Rangers are in need of a competent fourth line center this season. Can they answer this problem internally and rely on the sizable rookie, Boo Nieves, to play this role?

Heading into last season, the New York Rangers had a surplus of forward depth. The team had about 17 forwards vying for 12 spots going into the 2016-17 preseason. This year the story is the opposite, as the Rangers have stacked up on defense and it seems as though there is a question mark or two at the bottom of their forward lines, more specifically their fourth line center.

The Rangers recently came to an agreement with their projected first line center, Mika Zibanejad and signed free-agent veteran centerman David Desharnais as a depth guy. Those two players along with the rising Kevin Hayes will make up the first three lines worth of Rangers centers, but there is question as to who the fourth will be.

With the departure of the Rangers former No. 1 center Derek Stepan and the pre-season on the rise, it seems as though the Rangers are going to compensate for the gap left behind by Stepan internally.

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If my instincts serve me correctly, I think that the Rangers believe that Cristoval “Boo” Nieves is ready to hop up as the Rangers fourth line centerman for this coming season. Nieves is a former University of Michigan graduate who signed with the Rangers at the end of his final NCAA season in 2016.

The 23-year-old 6’3” 219lb center spent his first year as a professional playing in the AHL with the Hartford Wolfpack where he tallied 18 points in 40 games. Nieves was called up to the Rangers for one game on November 15. against the Vancouver Canucks in last year’s regular season where he saw limited ice time.

At the looks of the Rangers roster at this moment, I think Nieves will definitely make the Rangers, but it remains to be seen if he will be a regular in the Rangers lineup. I think he brings good size and skill as a depth center and overall can be more of an asset to the Rangers as opposed to Matt Puempel, who seems to be the only other competition at the moment for the 12th forward spot.

The Baldwinsville, N.Y. native brings leadership as well as experience as an alternate captain in his senior year with Michigan and was the captain of the Rangers prospect team last summer in Traverse City. Nieves has speed, vision, physicality and a quick release that he can offer the Rangers fourth line.

If the Rangers are going to reach beneath them, Nieves is the guy to use. I think Nieves has shown a lot of poise and has grown since moving from college hockey to the NHL.

There is still progress to be made but Nieves is the internal solution to the Rangers’ center problem. They must get him out there immediately so he can cope with this level of play and hopefully he will blossom and be the designated fourth center the Rangers need.

Next: Debating Lundqvist vs. Richter

In a new age of the NHL where the league’s fourth lines are growing out of veteran fighters and grinders and replacing them with youth and speed, a player like Nieves could be just what the doctor ordered for the Rangers fourth line this season.