Kaapo Kakko
AP Photo

New York Rangers center Boo Nieves is wearing a different number at practice. Does this mean Kaapo Kakko is getting 24?

Last season, New York Rangers forward Boo Nieves wore No. 24 on his sweater. However, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, he will be changing numbers this season.

Nieves played 43 games for the Rangers last season, scoring four goals and dishing out six assists. The Syracuse native has 19 career points in three seasons for the Rangers.

This unexpected change has many fans speculating that Nieves is giving 24 to the second overall pick from this year’s draft, Kaapo Kakko.

Kakko, who is currently listed as No. 45, wore 24 throughout his career. It was his number with TPS Turku of SM-Liiga, and with Finland’s world junior and national teams.

In Liiga play last season, Kakko tallied 22 goals and 16 assists in 45 games for TPS. The Finnish product is coming to the Rangers with high hopes and plenty of expectations.

Kakko made his team debut with the Blueshirts on Monday in the Traverse City Tournament. The Turku native sat out the first two games battling an illness. Kakko had a hand in all four Ranger goals with three assists and an unassisted game-winner in overtime to lead the Rangers to a 4-3 victory against the Minnesota Wild.

The Rangers sat Kakko for Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues, along with Vitali Kravtsov, Adam Fox, Yegor Rykov and Igor Shesterkin.

The Rangers will play their first preseason game on Sept. 18 against the New Jersey Devils.

WPU Graduate. Die-hard Ranger fan. Pain loving Jet fan. Loves to make comic, movie and TV references. Born and raised in Central Jersey. Twitter @JohnnyLonny82 Instagram @JackKnife82