Bokondji Imama

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image = Bokoimama (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Imama with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|8|3}}

| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 222

| position = Left Wing

| shoots = Left

| league = NHL

| team = Pittsburgh Penguins

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league = AHL

| former_teams = Arizona Coyotes
Ottawa Senators

| ntl_team =

| draft = 180th overall

| draft_year = 2015

| draft_team = Tampa Bay Lightning

| career_start = 2017

}}

Bokondji "Boko" Imama (born August 3, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Arizona Coyotes and the Ottawa Senators.

Playing career

=Junior=

The Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League selected Imama in the fourth round of the 2012 QMJHL entry draft.{{cite web |title=Bokondji Imama - Elite Prospects|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/151711/bokondji-imama |access-date=April 24, 2022 |website=Elite Prospects}} Imama joined the Drakkar for the 2012–13 QMJHL season. Noted for his physicality,{{cite news |last1=Briggs |first1=Scott |title=Imama impactful in every way for Sea Dogs |url=https://theqmjhl.ca/article/imama-impactful-in-every-way-for-sea-dogs |access-date=April 24, 2022 |publisher=Quebec Major Junior Hockey League |date=December 12, 2016}} Imama spent parts of three seasons with the Drakkar before being traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2014–15.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/kings-sign-forward-bokondji-imama-tampa-bay-trade/ |title=Kings sign forward Bokondji Imama after Tampa Bay trade |work=Sportsnet |agency=Associated Press |date=June 1, 2017 |access-date=October 20, 2023}}

In December 2015, the QMJHL suspended Imama for 15 games after he came off the Sea Dogs' bench to defend 15-year-old teammate Joe Veleno during a brawl against the Halifax Mooseheads.{{cite news |last1=Patil |first1=Anjuli |title=QMJHL suspends Mooseheads, Sea Dogs players after fight |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/qmjhl-suspends-kelly-bent-bokondji-imama-fight-1.3363118#:~:text=Imama%20has%20been%20suspended%20for,%22It%20went%20on. |access-date=April 24, 2022 |work=CBC News |date=December 13, 2015}} Imama finished the 2015–16 season with 19 points in 48 games. The following year, Imama led the Sea Dogs and finished seventh in the QMJHL with 41 goals in 66 games. He added 15 points in 18 games during the 2017 QMJHL playoffs as the Sea Dogs won the President's Cup; and advanced to the Memorial Cup.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/qmjhl-playoffs-sea-dogs-win-president-cup-advance-memorial-cup/ |title=QMJHL Playoffs: Sea Dogs win President Cup, advance to Memorial Cup |work=Sportsnet |agency=Associated Press |date=May 10, 2017 |access-date=October 20, 2023}} In four games with Saint John at the 2017 Memorial Cup, Imama scored one goal and added two assists. The Sea Dogs made the Cup semi-final but were eliminated by the Erie Otters.{{cite web |url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-seadogs/season-ends-with-memorial-cup-semifinal-loss-to-erie/ |title=Season Ends with Memorial Cup Seminfinal Loss to Erie |publisher=Canadian Hockey League |date=May 27, 2017 |access-date=October 20, 2023}}

=Professional=

The Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL) selected Imama in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL entry draft. On May 31, 2017, after failing to agree on a contract with Imama, the Lightning traded him to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2017 NHL entry draft. Imama signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Kings the following day.{{cite web |title=Bokondji Imama Signs 3-Year Entry-Level Contract with LA Kings |url=https://www.nhl.com/kings/news/bokondji-imama-signs-3-year-entry-level-contract-with-la-kings/c-289725734 |access-date=Apr 24, 2022 |publisher=Los Angeles Kings |date=June 1, 2017}} Save for a brief stint with the ECHL's Manchester Monarchs in 2018–19, Imama spent the first four seasons of his professional career with the Kings' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Ontario Reign. During the 2019–20 season, Imama was the target of a racist taunt by Bakersfield Condors defenceman Brandon Manning, resulting in a five-game suspension for Manning. On February 7, 2020, Imama and Manning faced each other in a game for the first time since the incident and fought early in the first period; Imama later added a goal and an assist to complete a Gordie Howe hat trick (and was named the game's third star) in what was ultimately a 10–3 Reign win.{{cite news |title=It took less than three minutes for Bokondji Imama and Brandon Manning to drop the gloves |url=https://www.bardown.com/it-took-less-than-three-minutes-for-bokondji-imama-and-brandon-manning-to-drop-the-gloves-1.1439659 |access-date=April 24, 2022 |work=BarDown |date=February 7, 2020}}

On July 24, 2021, the Kings traded Imama and defenceman Cole Hults to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for forwards Tyler Steenbergen and Brayden Burke.{{cite news |last1=Gould |first1=Mike |title=Coyotes acquire Imama, Hults from Kings in exchange for Steenbergen, Burke |url=https://www.fiveforhowling.com/2021/7/24/22591763/arizona-coyotes-acquire-imama-hults-from-kings-in-exchange-for-steenbergen-burke |access-date=April 24, 2022 |website=Five For Howling |date=July 24, 2021}} During his first season with the Coyotes' AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, Imama was the target of a racist gesture by San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik in a game on January 12, 2022. Later that month, the AHL suspended Hrabik for 30 games.{{cite news |last1=Wyshynski |first1=Greg |title=Hockey player Krystof Hrabik gets 30-game suspension for directing racist gesture at another AHL player |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/33117709/hockey-player-krystof-hrabik-gets-30-game-suspension-directing-racist-gesture-another-ahl-player |access-date=Apr 24, 2022 |work=ESPN |date=Jan 21, 2022}}

The Coyotes recalled Imama from the Roadrunners on April 22, 2022. He made his NHL debut that night against the Washington Capitals; the following day, Imama scored his first NHL goal against St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington in a 5–4 Coyotes overtime loss.{{cite news |title=Coyotes' Bokondji Imama: Scores in second game |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/coyotes-bokondji-imama-scores-in-second-game/ |access-date=April 24, 2022 |work=CBS Sports |date=April 23, 2022}} He played in four games with Arizona. Imama was assigned to Tucson to start the 2022–23 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.tucsonroadrunners.com/news/dauphin-dineen-imama-and-gillies-assigned-to-roadrunners/ |title=Dauphin, Dineen, Imama and Gillies Assigned to Roadrunners |publisher=Tucson Roadrunners |date=October 10, 2022 |access-date=October 20, 2023}} Imama played five games with Arizona in 2022–23.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/senators/news/free-agency-day-one/c-345176082 | title = Free agency day one | publisher = Ottawa Senators | date = July 1, 2023 | access-date = July 1, 2023}}

As an unrestricted free agent from the Coyotes, Imama was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Ottawa Senators on the opening day of free agency on July 1, 2023. Imama attended Ottawa's 2023 training camp, but failed to make the team. He was placed on waivers and after going unclaimed, assigned to Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators to start the 2023–24 season.{{cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/news/lassi-comes-home-senators-reclaim-defenceman-lassi-thomson-off-waivers |title=Lassi Comes Home: Senators Reclaim Defenceman Lassi Thomson Off Waivers |work=The Hockey News |last=Warne |first=Steve |date=October 9, 2023 |access-date=October 20, 2023}} He registered ten points in 53 games with Belleville.{{cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/players/ottawa-senators-call-up-forward-bokondji-imama-from-belleville |title=Ottawa Senators Call Up Forward Bokondji Imama From Belleville |work=The Hockey News |last=Warne |first=Steve |date=April 6, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024}} Imama was suspended by the AHL on January 13, 2024 for three games due to events in a game versus the Toronto Marlies on January 12.{{cite web |url=https://theahl.com/imama-clifford-suspended-24jan13 |title=Senators' Imama, Marlies' Clifford suspended |publisher=American Hockey League |date=January 13, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024}} Imama was recalled by Ottawa on April 6. He made his debut for Ottawa that night in a 4–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, fighting Kurtis MacDermid in the first period.{{cite web |url=https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/fighting-chance-boko-imama-has-dealt-with-plenty-of-adversity-in-his-path-to-the-ottawa-senators |title=Fighting Chance: Boko Imama has dealt with plenty of adversity in his path to the Ottawa Senators |work=Ottawa Sun |last=Baines |first=Tim |date=April 6, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024}} He appeared in six games with Ottawa, going scoreless.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/penguins-sign-forward-bokondji-imama-to-a-one-year-contract | title = Penguins sign forward Bokondji Imama to a one-year contract | publisher = Pittsburgh Penguins | date = July 1, 2024 | access-date = July 1, 2024}}

After a lone season within the Senators organization, Imama left as an unrestricted free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2024. He went unclaimed on waivers, and was assigned to Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, to start the 2024–25 season.{{cite web |url=https://triblive.com/sports/penguins-place-sebastian-aho-boko-imama-on-waivers/ |title=Penguins place Sebastian Aho, Boko Imama on waivers |last=Rorabaugh |first=Seth |work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |date=October 6, 2024 |access-date=October 13, 2024}} He was recalled by Pittsburgh on January 25, 2025 after Bryan Rust suffered an injury.{{cite web |url=https://triblive.com/sports/penguins-recall-forward-boko-imama-from-wilkes-barre-scranton/ |title=Penguins recall forward Boko Imama from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |last=Rorabaugh |first=Seth |date=January 25, 2025 |access-date=April 2, 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/boko-imama-makes-penguins-debut-in-seattle |title=Boko Imama Makes Penguins Debut in Seattle |publisher=Pittsburgh Penguins |via=NHL.com |date=January 25, 2025 |access-date=May 2, 2025}} He made his Pittsburgh debut the following day on January 26, replacing Blake Lizotte in the lineup against the Seattle Kraken. In a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on February 28, he laid a controversial hit on Flyers' forward Garnet Hathaway that forced Hathaway from the game, but resulted in no serious injury. Flyers' coach John Totorella was irate after the match, questioning the referees' decision to award only a two-minute minor penalty. Imama had not intended to injure Hathaway, but had spotted the Flyer charging at his Penguins' teammate, Noel Acciari, and attempted to prevent him from hitting his target.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6165597/2025/02/28/penguins-flyers-alex-nedeljkovic-boko-imama/ |title=Nedeljkovic’s tirade, Imama’s controversial hit ignite Penguins: Yohe’s 10 observations |work=The Athletic |last=Yohe |first=Josh |date=February 28, 2025 |access-date=May 2, 2025}} He scored his first goal with the Penguins on March 22 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, after getting into a fight with Mathieu Olivier earlier in the match.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/loko-for-boko |title=Loko for Boko |first=Michelle |last=Crechiolo |publisher=Pittsburgh Penguins |via=NHL.com |date=March 22, 2025 |access-date=May 2, 2025}} He made 24 appearances for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording two goals and five points. In 16 games with Pittsburgh, he recorded the one goal.{{cite web |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=160366 |title=Bokondji Imama |website=Hockeydb.com |access-date=May 2, 2025}}

Personal life

Imama was born in Montreal and has four sisters. His mother, Kumbia, and father, Bokondji, immigrated to Canada from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.{{cite web |last1=Douglas |first1=William |title=Bokondji Imama, a new hockey name with a fierce game, drafted by Tampa Bay Lightning |url=https://colorofhockey.com/2015/06/27/bokondji-imama-a-new-hockey-name-with-a-fierce-game-drafted-by-tampa-bay-lightning/ |website=TheColorOfHockey |date=June 27, 2015 |access-date=April 24, 2022}}

Career statistics

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! colspan="5"\|Regular season ! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"\| ! colspan="5"\|Playoffs
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM
2012–13 \| Baie-Comeau Drakkar \| QMJHL \| 44	3	3	6	34 \| 5	0	0	0	9
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2013–14 \| Baie-Comeau Drakkar \| QMJHL \| 59	7	8	15	101 \| 14	0	4	4	14
2014–15 \| Baie-Comeau Drakkar \| QMJHL \| 36	10	9	19	89 \| —	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2014–15 \| Saint John Sea Dogs \| QMJHL \| 23	3	6	9	48 \| 5	0	1	1	6
2015–16 \| Saint John Sea Dogs \| QMJHL \| 48	7	12	19	86 \| 10	1	3	4	15
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2016–17 \| Saint John Sea Dogs \| QMJHL \| 66	41	14	55	105 \| 18	8	7	15	22
2017–18 \| Ontario Reign \| AHL \| 38	0	1	1	59 \| —	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2018–19 \| Ontario Reign \| AHL \| 34	3	3	6	71 \| —	—	—	—	—
2018–19 \| Manchester Monarchs \| ECHL \| 13	1	5	6	37 \| 10	3	2	5	6
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2019–20 \| Ontario Reign \| AHL \| 50	4	10	14	134 \| —	—	—	—	—
2020–21 \| Ontario Reign \| AHL \| 31	9	5	14	56 \| 1	0	0	0	10
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2021–22 \| Tucson Roadrunners \| AHL \| 54	5	7	12	178 \| —	—	—	—	—
2021–22 \| Arizona Coyotes \| NHL \| 4	1	0	1	5 \| —	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2022–23 \| Tucson Roadrunners \| AHL \| 50	5	10	15	109 \| 3	0	0	0	6
2022–23 \| Arizona Coyotes \| NHL \| 5	0	0	0	5 \| —	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2023–24 \| Belleville Senators \| AHL \| 53	3	7	10	115 \| 7	1	2	3	16
2023–24 \| Ottawa Senators \| NHL \| 6	0	0	0	7 \| —	—	—	—	—
style="background:#f0f0f0;" \| 2024–25 \| Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins \| AHL \| 24	3	2	5	47 \| —	—	—	—	—
2024–25 \| Pittsburgh Penguins \| NHL \| 16	1	0	1	30 \| —	—	—	—	—
style="background:#e0e0e0;" ! colspan="3" \|NHL totals ! 31 !! 2 !! 0 !! 2 !! 47 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! —