Bokondji Imama

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

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. Noted for his physicality, Imama spent parts of three seasons with the Drakkar before being traded to the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2014–15. After that season, the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL) selected Imama in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

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. 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. 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.

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.

Professional
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.

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. 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. 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 made his debut for Ottawa that night in a 4–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, fighting Kurtis MacDermid in the first period.

After a lone season within the Senators organization, Imama left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2024.

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.