P.O Joseph and Boko Imama have been close for a long time. Their relationship goes back a full decade, after Imama was traded in the QMJHL to the Saint John Sea Dogs, where he became teammates with Mathieu Joseph, P.O's older brother.
Joseph and Imama were in the car last summer summer heading to Joseph's grandmother's house when Imama got a call from his agent about potential contracts on the table to sign for this season. Though Joseph didn't have a contract with Pittsburgh himself any longer, he vouched for the Penguins as an organization and helped sway Imama to sign here for this season.
"With the help from P.O, I just knew," Imama told me back in January. "I knew it was a great fit. And so far, so good. I can't really complain, whether I'm in Wilkes or up here, it's been a great experience."
The Imama experience has been a hit. His 16 games are the most he's had with any NHL team throughout his eight professional seasons, and he surely would have gotten more had a bicep injury in practice not ended his season. He was voted by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association as the Penguins' Masterton nominee, recognizing the perseverance, dedication to hockey and sportsmanship he showed as he finally found a regular spot in the NHL at 28 years old.
Joseph couldn't have been more thrilled for the guy he refers to as one of his brothers.
"I feel like you guys know 1% of his story and he's been nominated like that," Joseph said. "To have known him for the past 10 years, and see him being recognized like that, It's great. He's been working so hard over a lot of years, and it's good to see him out here with us and living his dream."
Joseph said that it felt like Imama took on that "older brother" role for others on the team, too.
"You try to get as much positivity as possible around the team," Joseph said. "And he gets everyone together. His attitude and his person makes him a good teammate to come in every day and want to practice with us."
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
10:13 pm - 04.15.2025Cranberry, Pa.Joseph: Imama 'gets everyone together'
P.O Joseph and Boko Imama have been close for a long time. Their relationship goes back a full decade, after Imama was traded in the QMJHL to the Saint John Sea Dogs, where he became teammates with Mathieu Joseph, P.O's older brother.
Joseph and Imama were in the car last summer summer heading to Joseph's grandmother's house when Imama got a call from his agent about potential contracts on the table to sign for this season. Though Joseph didn't have a contract with Pittsburgh himself any longer, he vouched for the Penguins as an organization and helped sway Imama to sign here for this season.
"With the help from P.O, I just knew," Imama told me back in January. "I knew it was a great fit. And so far, so good. I can't really complain, whether I'm in Wilkes or up here, it's been a great experience."
The Imama experience has been a hit. His 16 games are the most he's had with any NHL team throughout his eight professional seasons, and he surely would have gotten more had a bicep injury in practice not ended his season. He was voted by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association as the Penguins' Masterton nominee, recognizing the perseverance, dedication to hockey and sportsmanship he showed as he finally found a regular spot in the NHL at 28 years old.
Joseph couldn't have been more thrilled for the guy he refers to as one of his brothers.
"I feel like you guys know 1% of his story and he's been nominated like that," Joseph said. "To have known him for the past 10 years, and see him being recognized like that, It's great. He's been working so hard over a lot of years, and it's good to see him out here with us and living his dream."
Joseph said that it felt like Imama took on that "older brother" role for others on the team, too.
"You try to get as much positivity as possible around the team," Joseph said. "And he gets everyone together. His attitude and his person makes him a good teammate to come in every day and want to practice with us."
Want to participate in our comments?
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