NYR TODAY TUESDAY 3/29, NIEVES SIGNS, ALUMNI, TODAY IN NYR HISTORY

"I Feel That I'm Ready"-Boo Nieves Signs With Rangers

The collegiate hockey career of Cristoval "Boo" Nieves ended two days ago when his University of Michigan Wolverines were defeated by North Dakota, 5-2, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. His pro career in the New York Rangers organization officially began on Monday when Nieves agreed to a two-year entry-level contract. He will join the Hartford Wolf Pack on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of this season before his entry-level contract begins next season.
"I definitely feel that I'm ready," Nieves told BlueshirtsUnited.com Monday afternoon. "That's one of the reasons why I came back to school for my last year because I knew there were some fine-tunings I could do in my game, and physically I got a little bigger and a little stronger. Now I think I'm ready for this because I got all the tools I needed from Michigan andA I'm definitely ready for what's to come in the next step."
A 2012 second-round draft pick of the Rangers, Nieves enjoyed his most successful season as a Wolverine this past year as a senior. Nieves established career-highs with ten goals and 31 points in 35 games, while equaling his career-best with 21 assists.
"His senior season was the one we were waiting for," stated Gordie Clark, the Rangers DirectgAMor Player Personnel. "He had a real good first year, gave them what they needed, but it was a little up and down in between the next two years; but in the end Boo didn't give up on himself and he had to earn his position, and he had the year we were waiting for this year."
An alternate captain as a senior, Nieves helped lead Michigan to a 25-8-5 record this season, as well as a Big Ten Championship. The final point of his collegiate career came on a third-period game-tying assist against Notre Dame in Michigan's thrilling 3-2 overtime victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament last week.
"It's definitely been a very chaotic past month you could say, starting with Senior Night a few weeks ago, a real emotional night, then going to Big Tens and winning, and taking out the two teams who had ended our seasons the prior two years--Penn State and Minnesota," explained Nieves. "Then the NCAA's, and that wild game against Notre Dame and seeing (Rangers prospect Steven Fogarty of Notre Dame) and talking to him on the ice. It's pretty cool and pretty surreal that it's all coming together now and it's starting to sink in that I'm not a collegiate athlete any more and my dream of becoming a professional is coming true."
The 22 year-old Nieves stands 6-feet-3 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He has filled out considerably since being drafted as an 18 year-old fresh out of the Kent School back in 2012, though his speed and skating ability are still what stand out the most from Boo's game.
"He wowed us at prospects camp (this past July)," explained Clark. "I could tell he was going to have a really good year. He was just a different person, just in a really good place mentally, and my gosh he was just flying around that ice, effortlessly making plays. I mean 6'3" with the way he can skate, and he's getting stronger and is a real fitness guy, he's becoming the player we hoped he would get to."
Clark was extremely impressed with how much Boo improved his work on face offs this past season, winning them at nearly a 60 percent clip; while Nieves was pleased with his own improved defensive game.
"I definitely have the offensive ability to score and make plays, but at the same time you have to make sure you're playing defense, too, and that's something I learned and worked hard on in college," offered Nieves.
His first taste of the pro game will be with a Wolf Pack team that is currently fighting to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference of the American Hockey League. Hartford is tied with Utica for the eighth and final playoff spot, though just ahead of tenth-place Syracuse which is only two points behind in the standings.
In Hartford Nieves will join a pair of fellow 2012 Rangers draft picks--first rounder Brady Skjei and fourth rounder Calle Andersson.
"I'm excited to get to Hartford," said Nieves. "Then after the season I want to train hard and come to training camp ready to go and see what happens from there. It's one step at a time, but I want embrace it every step of the way."

Jim Cerny
BlueshirtsUnited.com

NYR Alumni Birthdays 3/29 
Hardy Astrom G (1977-1978) Jerry Byers LW (1977-1978) Dunc McCallum D (1965-1966) Hartland Monahan RW (1974-1975) Duane Rupp D (1962-1963)

TODAY IN NYR HISTORY MARCH 29
1999: Wayne Gretzky scores the final goal of his NHL career, the game-winner in a 3-1 victory over the Islanders. The goal is the 1,072nd of his professional career (WHA and NHL, regular season and playoffs) putting him ahead of Gordie Howe for the most goals ever scored by a player.

2006: Jaromir Jagr records four assists to pass Jean Ratelle for most points by a Ranger in a single season with 110.