Pens tough guy recognized for perseverance, dedication
The Penguins have announced their nominee for the 2025 Masterton trophy.
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded to the player who best exemplifies qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
That player is Boko Imama.
Read more on the 24.25 Penguins’ Masterton nominee. https://t.co/t7BYlUb8ZX
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 9, 2025
From the team:
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.”
Imama’s season ended with a torn bicep, he’s scheduled to be a free agent but universally liked at every level of the Pens’ organization so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team looks to extend his contract for next season.