Penguins reserve Boko Imama is 'just going to keep on working'

Boko Imama inhabited some precious real estate.

In the late stages of the Penguins’ training camp in September, Imama was seated by himself in his locker stall in the team’s dressing room of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry.

His stall was right next to that of franchise pillar Sidney Crosby.

But he understood his time there was limited.

Having been through several training camps and gone through the unpleasant and impersonal process of going through waivers, Imama knew he was about to get waived once again and likely be sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Sure enough, that happened and he was sent to the AHL affiliate Oct. 5 after going unclaimed on waivers.

“Whatever happens, that is not going to kill me,” Imama said last month. “I’m just going to keep on working. That has been my whole career anyway.”

Imama had to put in some work this offseason to just get back to being the physically imposing figure he is at a stacked 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds.

After he experienced something of a breakthrough as a member of the NHL Penguins last season by appearing in a career-best 16 games, things came to an abrupt halt March 29 when he underwent surgery to repair his right bicep.

What followed was a lengthy recovery process. And a few months with only one arm for day-to-day life.

“It forced me to use my left hand to brush my teeth, everyday stuff like this,” he said. “Now, I still try to use my left hand. It actually benefited. Try to use both (hands) a little bit. Definitely a learning process, a slow process. But I’m happy that I got over the hump.”

Imama admitted to some initial hesitation in fully engaging with his right arm, which now has a scar, during the preseason.

“The first game in Montreal, I felt like in the first period, it was a little bit there,” said Imama, who appeared in three preseason games and recorded four penalty minutes. “As the game went on, I saw it was not a problem. Game 2, Game 3, I was able to just get out there and play my game without worrying about the bicep or anything. For sure, there was some hesitation in the first game, but I can say confidently now that everything is good.”

Given the injury, there were some questions about whether the Penguins would re-sign Imama, who entered the offseason as a pending unrestricted free agent. But the team re-signed him to a one-year, two-way contract June 13, a few weeks before the free agent signing period opened July 1.

“Luckily enough for me, (Penguins president of hockey operations) Kyle Dubas, he let me know pretty early on — literally a day or two after I got the injury — he let me know the intentions of the team of bringing me back. I was lucky enough to be in that position. I could just focus on healing. I knew something was getting done.”

Imama was the Penguins’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, as selected by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The award recognizes the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

The 29-year-old’s dedication to his profession allowed him to meet those criteria. Not coincidentally, he has become a universally beloved individual among teammates and management.

“Good question,” said Imama, who offered a hearty belly laugh when asked about his popularity within the organization. “I’m just true to myself. I feel like I respect everyone in this building, whether it’s players, staff, whatnot.

“I feel like it’s easy to root for the good guy.”

Also, it’s easy to root for the toughest guy on the team.

“It certainly does help to have someone of Boko’s caliber out there,” forward Bryan Rust said in March. “You feel a little bit more confident in physical situations.”

Imama’s play with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton hitherto this season has gone as expected. Primarily stationed on the left wing of the fourth line, he has appeared in eight AHL games and has no points, as well as eight penalty minutes. He is also serving as an alternate captain.

If he returns to the NHL roster this season, that remains to be seen.

But his perspective remains the same.

“I truly believe in myself, and that’s all that matters,” Imama said. “Whatever cards are dealt to me, I will do the best to arrive to my end goal.”

Note: Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin was fined $5,000 for slashing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley on Sunday. During the Jets’ 5-2 home win Saturday, Malkin slashed Stanley at 15:37 of the first period and was given a minor penalty.