While Boko Imama was born and raised in Montreal, a passionate hockey city, his family had a lot to learn about the sport after moving there from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.
Boko’s father had studied in Quebec when he was around 19-20 years old, and after marrying Boko’s mother, they relocated there to start their family.
The fact that their son is a professional hockey player is still surreal to them. So, when the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association selected Imama as this year’s team nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey – they actually couldn’t believe it.
“They asked me the same question, like, you are a nominee for an NHL award?! I was like, yes. (Then they) asked again and asked again, and I had to kept on confirming that, yes, this was going on. So, they're very excited as well, very honored, and it’s just fun,” Boko said with a smile. “For me, I'm just living out my dream, and to be able to have this type of recognition is definitely nice.
“I just feel like there's always blocks on the road and you just got to find a way to keep pushing through them. I just feel like that's been my model since I started playing pro, and that's how I've been finding my success.”
Fellow Montreal native Kris Letang is a four-time Penguins nominee, and won the award in 2023 after suffering the second stroke of his career and the passing of his father. He knows better than most what the criteria means, and feels strongly that Imama is deserving.
“First of all, I don't think you can find a more positive person. Every single day, he addresses every single one of his teammates. In the morning, he comes in with an attitude to get better and work,” Letang said.
“And obviously, we all know how hard his job is, to have to go out there and face the music every single time. He wants to be there for his teammates. What he does on the ice is just incredible. The attitude that he has every single day coming to the rink, it's contagious around the room.”
That hasn’t wavered at any point of Imama’s journey. It began when Boko Sr.’s first friend in town, a hockey fan with a son who was playing, encouraged him to enroll Boko. Imama ended up getting selected in the fourth round of the QMJHL Draft, played for both Baie-Comeau and Saint John, and honed the pugilistic style of play that has become his signature.
“I knew that's the edge I had, and yeah, I've been finding success this way, so just kind of stick to that game plan, and that's what I'm doing,” Imama said. While sportsmanship and fighting may not seem to go hand-in-hand, there’s a respect factor between players of that caliber.
“A lot of guys that I fought in the years, we're friends or teammates in previous years, and that's just how the game goes at the end of the day,” Imama said. “It’s the business. We understand it, and we just have a lot of respect for the guys that are willing to do this type of job.”
And, as Kyle Dubas said after signing Imama to a one-year deal on the first day of free agency, he brings more than just his fists to the ice.
“When we went through the film on him, the key thing was his ability on the forecheck,” said Pittsburgh’s President of Hockey Operations and GM. “He’s very effective there. It’s getting in on the forecheck, getting physical, separating people from the puck, winning possessions. It’s not just fighting. Obviously, he’s a very tough customer. But there’s a good player there as well.”
Imama appeared in 15 NHL games in 2024-25 with Pittsburgh before recently undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a bicep injury. Imama had played in that same number across the prior seven seasons, spending the majority in the American Hockey League, saying love of the game is what kept him pushing through.
“It's a really hard job to do, and sometimes you have to grind out in the minors. Sometimes, you’re not in the lineup. You have to stay ready. You have to stay focused on getting better, and keep the positive attitude, and that's what he does,” Letang said. “Any path he's going to take, he's going to take it the same way. He's going to come to the rink with the right frame of mind, and when he's gonna have his chance, like he did with us, he's gonna take it. We saw a great result, and saw a change in behavior on the ice when he's out there.”
Imama is currently recovering from a recent surgery to repair a bicep injury, with a projected recovery timeline of 4-6 months. Once he’s good to go, Imama plans to do everything in his power to keep on pushing and remain in the National Hockey League.
“I've worked so hard, been so many years that I've just been at it,” he said. “To be able to have another opportunity like this to get to live my dream, I was just very grateful for. I try to do everything I (can) every day.”
