Bokondji Imama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bokondji Imama |
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Imama with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2023
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| Born | August 3, 1996 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 222 lb (101 kg; 15 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Winger | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams |
Pittsburgh Penguins WBS Penguins (AHL) Arizona Coyotes Ottawa Senators |
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| NHL Draft | 180th overall, 2015 Tampa Bay Lightning |
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| Playing career | 2017–present | ||
Bokondji "Boko" Imama (born August 3, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He plays as a winger for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL). He is also signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the top league, the National Hockey League (NHL). Before joining the Penguins, he played for the Arizona Coyotes and the Ottawa Senators.
Contents
Boko Imama's Hockey Journey
Starting in Junior Hockey
Bokondji Imama began his hockey career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). This is a major league for young players in Canada. The Baie-Comeau Drakkar team picked him in 2012.
Imama was known for playing a very physical game. He spent three seasons with the Drakkar. Later, he was traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2014. After that season, the Tampa Bay Lightning chose him in the 2015 NHL Draft. This draft is where NHL teams pick young players.
In 2015, Imama was suspended for 15 games. He left the bench to defend his 15-year-old teammate, Joe Veleno, during a fight. This showed his strong loyalty to his team.
During the 2016-17 season, Imama had an amazing year. He scored 41 goals for the Sea Dogs, which was a lot! His team, the Sea Dogs, won the President's Cup. This is the championship trophy for the QMJHL. They then went on to play in the Memorial Cup, a big tournament for all of Canada's top junior teams.
After his junior career, the Lightning traded Imama to the Los Angeles Kings. He then signed his first professional contract with the Kings.
Playing as a Professional
Imama spent most of his first four professional seasons with the Ontario Reign. This team is in the American Hockey League (AHL), which is a league just below the NHL. He also played a short time in the ECHL, another professional league.
In 2020, something unfair happened to Imama. An opposing player, Brandon Manning, made a racist comment towards him during a game. The league took action and suspended Manning for five games. When Imama and Manning played each other again, they fought. Imama later scored a goal and an assist in that game. This is called a Gordie Howe hat trick when a player scores a goal, gets an assist, and has a fight in the same game.
In 2021, Imama was traded to the Arizona Coyotes. He played for their AHL team, the Tucson Roadrunners. Another racist incident happened in 2022. An opposing player, Krystof Hrabik, made a racist gesture towards Imama. The AHL suspended Hrabik for 30 games.
Imama made his NHL debut with the Coyotes in April 2022. He even scored his first NHL goal the very next day! He played a few games for the Coyotes in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
In 2023, Imama signed with the Ottawa Senators. He played for their AHL team, the Belleville Senators. He was called up to play six games for the Ottawa Senators in the NHL.
In 2024, Imama joined the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He was assigned to their AHL team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He continues to play there, hoping to earn more time in the NHL.
Boko Imama's Life Outside Hockey
Bokondji Imama was born in Montreal, Canada. He has four sisters. His parents, Kumbia and Bokondji, moved to Canada from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 2021–22 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 54 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 178 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
