Retired New York Rangers player Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, who identifies as an Afro-Latino, says he’s the only person of Puerto Rican descent to play in the National Hockey League — and says being raised in upstate New York wasn’t always easy.

“Growing up, I was always the only Black kid in the locker room, and obviously you try not to pay attention to it as a kid, but it’s noticeable,” Nieves said. “It was pretty tough for a lot of the kids to say 'Cristoval,' so they kind of just stuck with Boo. My nickname is now recognized as my first real name playing in the NHL."

Nieves played four seasons with the Rangers, but concussions unexpectedly forced him to retire. Now, he trains young hockey players at City Ice Pavilion in Long Island City, Queens through his business, Topline Elite Hockey.

What You Need To Know

  • The National Hockey League found roughly 84% of employees across the league and its teams are white

  • Asians, Blacks and Latinos each separately account for about 4% of the workforce

  • The New York Rangers offers Bronx youth a free 10-week program that provides on-ice training, equipment, academic support and meals to expand on diversity efforts

With his business, Nieves said he’s hoping to train the next generation of NHL stars. Everyone with potential is welcome, but he also wants to improve diversity, and looks at himself as a mentor to the young people he trains.

The NHL says it’s striving for a more diverse and inclusive work environment. The league recently released a report on its demographics that found its workforce is 84% white. Asians, Blacks and Latinos each separately account for about 4% of the workforce.

The report from the NHL said it's working to get diverse youth involved in the sport.

Nieves' former team, the Rangers, have a program called T.E.A.M., which was launched in February 2021. It offers Bronx youth a free 10-week program that provides on-ice training, equipment, academic support and meals.

Ten-year-old Kellen Brown is one of the young hockey players taking part in Nieves' own hockey program. Brown laces up for practice before he heads to school to train at City Ice Pavilion.

“It’s pretty cool to see someone who plays hockey at a really high level who looks like me,” Brown said. 

The young player said he's faced some challenges while playing the sport.

“I’ve been called a lot of bad names," he said. 

His dad, Kareem, tells his son to ignore the external noise and focus on the joy the sport brings.

“Because that’s ultimately why these kids are out here, right? It's because they have fun," he said. "They enjoy doing this."