Bokondji Imama

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

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. Imama joined the Drakkar for the 2012–13 QMJHL season. Imama spent parts of three seasons with the Drakkar before being traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2014–15.

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. 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. In four games with Saint John at the 2017 Memorial Cup, Imama scored one goal and added two assists.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. He played in four games with Arizona. Imama was assigned to Tucson to start the 2022–23 season. Imama played five games with Arizona in 2022–23.

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. He registered ten points in 53 games with Belleville. 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. Imama was recalled by Ottawa on April 6. He appeared in six games with Ottawa, going scoreless.

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 was recalled by Pittsburgh on January 25, 2025 after Bryan Rust suffered an injury. He made his Pittsburgh debut the following day on January 26, replacing Blake Lizotte in the lineup against the Seattle Kraken. 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. In March, he underwent surgery on his biceps, ending his season. He made 24 appearances for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording two goals and five points.

He signed a one-year contract extension with Pittsburgh on June 13. He was placed on waivers and after going unclaimed, was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to start the 2025–26 season. He was recalled on December 1 and made his Pittsburgh season debut that night against the Philadelphia Flyers. He made one more appearance before he was returned to the AHL on December 7.

As a free agent after two seasons with the Penguins, Imama was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2026.

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.

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs 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 — — — — — 2024–25 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 24 3 2 5 47 — — — — — 2024–25 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 16 1 0 1 30 — — — — — 2025–26 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 66 6 5 11 137 6 0 1 1 18 2025–26 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 2 0 0 0 5 — — — — —NHL totals 33 2 0 2 52 — — — — —