'Living out my dream': Imama nominated for Masterton
When Boko Imama told his parents that he was nominated for a real, major NHL award, they didn't quite believe him.
"They asked me, 'You're a nominee for an NHL award?'" Imama recalled with a chuckle. "I was like, 'Yes!' They said, 'Ask again! Ask again! Ask again!' I had to keep confirming that yes, this was going on. They're very excited and honored."
Imama on Wednesday was named a nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The Professional Hockey Writers Association chapter in each city votes for a player from the team they cover to be a nominee, and then the association as whole votes for the winner among the 32 nominees.
It's hard to argue that Imama doesn't exemplify each of those qualities.
Imama, 28, is an eight-year pro, and most of his eight seasons have been spent grinding it out in the minors, taking on the difficult role of an enforcer, fighting for his teammates and fighting for an opportunity to reach the NHL. After stints with the Kings, Coyotes and Senators organizations, Imama's 16 games with the Penguins this season was the longest opportunity any team has ever given him, and he surely would have seen more games at the NHL level had a bicep injury in practice on March 26 in Tampa, Fla. not necessitated surgery and ended his season.
Through his 347 games in the minors, he never once lost that dedication and perseverance that he would one day get that look in the NHL.
"I said, 'You've been at it for so many years. Why stop now?' Imama said of his mindset through those long bus rides in the minors. "I just promised myself that I'll do the best I can with my career, and as long as my body allows me to, I'll just keep on pushing."
GETTY
Boko Imama celebrates his first goal as a Penguin this season.
When Imama was on the NHL roster, even when he wasn't always in the lineup, it was always so clear just how immensely thankful he was to even be on the Penguins and have the opportunity he did.
"It means everything," Imama said of his 16 games with the Penguins. "I've worked so hard, it's been so many years that I've been at it. To be able to have another opportunity like this, to get to live my dream, I was just very grateful."
That had a clear impact on his teammates, too. This was a difficult season for everyone, being out of a playoff spot and there being very little hope of ever finding a way in. But through some of the darkest stretches, Imama's enthusiasm and appreciation for being in the NHL served as a reminder for his teammates just how lucky they all were.
"He brought a positive attitude every single day," Alex Nedeljkovic told me. "He was just happy to be here, be at this level, play at this level. I think it's something that can kind of get lost on you from day to day, and you don't realize just how lucky we are and how good we have it. It was just a breath of fresh air, and it's definitely been noticeable not having him in the locker room."
Ryan Graves, who spent his own share of time in the minors, has an admiration for Imama too, having experienced those hours on a bus himself.
"I think that a lot of guys don't have an appreciation for how nice it is to be in the NHL," Graves said. "The American League, as good as it can be, is a grind. A lot of guys that haven't really spent much time there may not develop a full appreciation for it. That league's tough. Imama is someone that exudes charisma, he's got a lot of energy. Everybody embraces him right away. He plays that role too that everybody respects. This guy is here for everybody else, he doesn't have his own agenda. He's just here to help the team."
Kris Letang, a Masterton winner himself and a longtime friend of Imama from their offseasons together in Montreal, was struck by Imama's work ethic.
"He's great," said Letang. "He's got a great attitude. He comes to the rink every single day and works hard. We all know what he does on the ice and the way he cares about his teammates, but every single day he would come to the rink and be so happy to be here and work so hard."
GETTY
Boko Imama in his last game of the season.
Imama largely skated in a fourth-line role. He had one goal -- just his second in the NHL -- in a win over the Blue Jackets. He had a handful of fights, but his impact went beyond that. Even when he wasn't dropping the gloves, he brought energy and a surprising amount of speed that his teammates noticed.
"He's always positive on the bench and keeps a great attitude at all times," Rickard Rakell said. "He does the work on the ice that not a lot of guys in the league are willing to do every night. Every time he was on the ice, you got something out of him. It's a great feeling, because some games, you feel like it's not going your way. He goes on the ice, and he can make a big difference."
That intangible benefit Imama brought to his teammates was true in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, too. That was one of the goals when the Penguins signed Imama in the offseason, with Kyle Dubas saying on free agency day that they wanted him to "help the young guys out." I spoke with Imama in training camp about that role he was expected to take on, and he was very much looking forward to it, saying he takes pride in "leading by example, showing up to work everyday, having the right work ethic and trying to have people join on the ship."
Imama did have that kind of impact on Wilkes-Barre's young players, probably more so than he even knows.
"Boko is incredible," Rutger McGroarty told me, lighting up at the opportunity to speak about Imama. "He's a guy that I can't say enough nice things about. He is the most genuine, down to earth, greatest human that I've ever played with. He cares for his teammates. He cares for people. He loves super hard. He's also just a really funny guy, but he also has a seriousness to him too, like in the locker room before games, talking on the bench, everything. He's definitely one of my favorite players that I've ever played with, and I'm so happy that I got the opportunity to play with him."
Some might push back at the idea of giving a player whose role often involves punching another man in the face an award that is meant to recognize sportsmanship as one of its three values. But for Imama, his role is all about sportsmanship.
"You're sacrificing yourself for the better of the team, right?" he said. "You're not just looking at what benefits you. You sacrifice a little bit more, maybe, to put the team in the best position. That's pretty much how I see it."
Even on the occasions he does fight another heavyweight, there's often no real hate involved. Sometimes, like with his fight against the Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier, he's fighting someone he knows. There's a brotherhood among players like Imama, and there's a lot of sportsmanship in that relationship.
"It's a lot about respect," he said of fighting. "A lot of guys that I fought along the years, we were friends or teammates in previous years. That's just how the game goes at the end of the day. 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 Imama's teammates have that respect for the job, undoubtedly.
"He has very hard, heavy hits," McGroarty said. "He brings a lot of energy for the guys, and I definitely would say that the guys felt safer when he was there (in Wilkes-Barre). Not as many chirps were being thrown around by the other team."
Graves said that he thinks Imama's toughness causes opponents to "think twice" when on the ice.
"If you're going to be an idiot, then you have to answer to somebody," Graves said. "And when the somebody you have to answer to is Boko? You think more about it."
EDDIE PROVIDENT
Boko Imama in practice.
"You know if something were to go down, he doesn't think twice about stepping in," Rakell said. "It's great to have one of those guys on the team, for sure."
"You felt his presence on the ice," Nedeljkovic added. "There's a couple of games there where his fights got us some momentum and turned things around for us. He made an impact every time he's been in the lineup. Hopefully he'll be back next year."
Imama deserves to garner real attention in the league-wide voting among the 32 nominees, but he has an uphill battle. Unless someone has really been around him and seen what kind of impact he has, he's the kind of player whose contributions can easily be overlooked. A voter skimming a list of names might not appropriately consider the enforcer with 16 games this season for the award celebrating sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to hockey, even if Imama greatly exemplified each of those qualities in his time in the NHL.
For Imama, even to be recognized to this degree was hugely rewarding, and something he's very proud to have.
"I'm very excited, very honored," Imama said of being the Penguins' nominee. "For me, I'm just living out my dream. To be able to have this type of recognition is definitely nice."
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
6:55 pm - 04.08.2025Cranberry, Pa.'Living out my dream': Imama nominated for Masterton
When Boko Imama told his parents that he was nominated for a real, major NHL award, they didn't quite believe him.
"They asked me, 'You're a nominee for an NHL award?'" Imama recalled with a chuckle. "I was like, 'Yes!' They said, 'Ask again! Ask again! Ask again!' I had to keep confirming that yes, this was going on. They're very excited and honored."
Imama on Wednesday was named a nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The Professional Hockey Writers Association chapter in each city votes for a player from the team they cover to be a nominee, and then the association as whole votes for the winner among the 32 nominees.
It's hard to argue that Imama doesn't exemplify each of those qualities.
Imama, 28, is an eight-year pro, and most of his eight seasons have been spent grinding it out in the minors, taking on the difficult role of an enforcer, fighting for his teammates and fighting for an opportunity to reach the NHL. After stints with the Kings, Coyotes and Senators organizations, Imama's 16 games with the Penguins this season was the longest opportunity any team has ever given him, and he surely would have seen more games at the NHL level had a bicep injury in practice on March 26 in Tampa, Fla. not necessitated surgery and ended his season.
Through his 347 games in the minors, he never once lost that dedication and perseverance that he would one day get that look in the NHL.
"I said, 'You've been at it for so many years. Why stop now?' Imama said of his mindset through those long bus rides in the minors. "I just promised myself that I'll do the best I can with my career, and as long as my body allows me to, I'll just keep on pushing."
GETTY
Boko Imama celebrates his first goal as a Penguin this season.
When Imama was on the NHL roster, even when he wasn't always in the lineup, it was always so clear just how immensely thankful he was to even be on the Penguins and have the opportunity he did.
"It means everything," Imama said of his 16 games with the Penguins. "I've worked so hard, it's been so many years that I've been at it. To be able to have another opportunity like this, to get to live my dream, I was just very grateful."
That had a clear impact on his teammates, too. This was a difficult season for everyone, being out of a playoff spot and there being very little hope of ever finding a way in. But through some of the darkest stretches, Imama's enthusiasm and appreciation for being in the NHL served as a reminder for his teammates just how lucky they all were.
"He brought a positive attitude every single day," Alex Nedeljkovic told me. "He was just happy to be here, be at this level, play at this level. I think it's something that can kind of get lost on you from day to day, and you don't realize just how lucky we are and how good we have it. It was just a breath of fresh air, and it's definitely been noticeable not having him in the locker room."
Ryan Graves, who spent his own share of time in the minors, has an admiration for Imama too, having experienced those hours on a bus himself.
"I think that a lot of guys don't have an appreciation for how nice it is to be in the NHL," Graves said. "The American League, as good as it can be, is a grind. A lot of guys that haven't really spent much time there may not develop a full appreciation for it. That league's tough. Imama is someone that exudes charisma, he's got a lot of energy. Everybody embraces him right away. He plays that role too that everybody respects. This guy is here for everybody else, he doesn't have his own agenda. He's just here to help the team."
Kris Letang, a Masterton winner himself and a longtime friend of Imama from their offseasons together in Montreal, was struck by Imama's work ethic.
"He's great," said Letang. "He's got a great attitude. He comes to the rink every single day and works hard. We all know what he does on the ice and the way he cares about his teammates, but every single day he would come to the rink and be so happy to be here and work so hard."
GETTY
Boko Imama in his last game of the season.
Imama largely skated in a fourth-line role. He had one goal -- just his second in the NHL -- in a win over the Blue Jackets. He had a handful of fights, but his impact went beyond that. Even when he wasn't dropping the gloves, he brought energy and a surprising amount of speed that his teammates noticed.
"He's always positive on the bench and keeps a great attitude at all times," Rickard Rakell said. "He does the work on the ice that not a lot of guys in the league are willing to do every night. Every time he was on the ice, you got something out of him. It's a great feeling, because some games, you feel like it's not going your way. He goes on the ice, and he can make a big difference."
That intangible benefit Imama brought to his teammates was true in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, too. That was one of the goals when the Penguins signed Imama in the offseason, with Kyle Dubas saying on free agency day that they wanted him to "help the young guys out." I spoke with Imama in training camp about that role he was expected to take on, and he was very much looking forward to it, saying he takes pride in "leading by example, showing up to work everyday, having the right work ethic and trying to have people join on the ship."
Imama did have that kind of impact on Wilkes-Barre's young players, probably more so than he even knows.
"Boko is incredible," Rutger McGroarty told me, lighting up at the opportunity to speak about Imama. "He's a guy that I can't say enough nice things about. He is the most genuine, down to earth, greatest human that I've ever played with. He cares for his teammates. He cares for people. He loves super hard. He's also just a really funny guy, but he also has a seriousness to him too, like in the locker room before games, talking on the bench, everything. He's definitely one of my favorite players that I've ever played with, and I'm so happy that I got the opportunity to play with him."
Some might push back at the idea of giving a player whose role often involves punching another man in the face an award that is meant to recognize sportsmanship as one of its three values. But for Imama, his role is all about sportsmanship.
"You're sacrificing yourself for the better of the team, right?" he said. "You're not just looking at what benefits you. You sacrifice a little bit more, maybe, to put the team in the best position. That's pretty much how I see it."
Even on the occasions he does fight another heavyweight, there's often no real hate involved. Sometimes, like with his fight against the Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier, he's fighting someone he knows. There's a brotherhood among players like Imama, and there's a lot of sportsmanship in that relationship.
"It's a lot about respect," he said of fighting. "A lot of guys that I fought along the years, we were friends or teammates in previous years. That's just how the game goes at the end of the day. 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 Imama's teammates have that respect for the job, undoubtedly.
"He has very hard, heavy hits," McGroarty said. "He brings a lot of energy for the guys, and I definitely would say that the guys felt safer when he was there (in Wilkes-Barre). Not as many chirps were being thrown around by the other team."
Graves said that he thinks Imama's toughness causes opponents to "think twice" when on the ice.
"If you're going to be an idiot, then you have to answer to somebody," Graves said. "And when the somebody you have to answer to is Boko? You think more about it."
EDDIE PROVIDENT
Boko Imama in practice.
"You know if something were to go down, he doesn't think twice about stepping in," Rakell said. "It's great to have one of those guys on the team, for sure."
"You felt his presence on the ice," Nedeljkovic added. "There's a couple of games there where his fights got us some momentum and turned things around for us. He made an impact every time he's been in the lineup. Hopefully he'll be back next year."
Imama deserves to garner real attention in the league-wide voting among the 32 nominees, but he has an uphill battle. Unless someone has really been around him and seen what kind of impact he has, he's the kind of player whose contributions can easily be overlooked. A voter skimming a list of names might not appropriately consider the enforcer with 16 games this season for the award celebrating sportsmanship, perseverance and dedication to hockey, even if Imama greatly exemplified each of those qualities in his time in the NHL.
For Imama, even to be recognized to this degree was hugely rewarding, and something he's very proud to have.
"I'm very excited, very honored," Imama said of being the Penguins' nominee. "For me, I'm just living out my dream. To be able to have this type of recognition is definitely nice."
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