Boko is Back! Penguins Sign Imama & Acquired Prospect Fernstrom
Boko Imama will return to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, eventually.
The team announced on Friday that they signed Imama to a one-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 at the NHL level. Imama split this season between the NHL and AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He played 16 NHL games, scoring one goal and two fights.
Imama, 28, played 40 games with the WBS Penguins, scoring three goals with five points. However, he missed the end of the season after shoulder surgery and his recovery time was projected to coincide with the start of next season’s training camp.
The 6-foot-1, 221-pound tough-guy winger was also the Penguins’ Masterton Trophy nominee for perseverance, dedication, and sportsmanship. Imama was set to be an unrestricted free agent, and is the first of the UFAs to re-sign.
Imama is a native of Montreal and has spent the past nine seasons (2017-25) splitting time between the NHL and AHL. In total, he has appeared in 31 NHL games with the Penguins, Ottawa, and Arizona, scoring two goals. During his AHL time, he has played in 334 games with WBS, Belleville, Tucson, and Ontario, tallying 77 points (32-45-77).
Penguins Sign Melvin Fernstrom
The Penguisn January trade with the Vancouver Canucks yielded the New York Rangers’ first-round pick in either 2025 or 2026, but also Swedish prospect Melvin Fernstrom.
Fernstrom, 19, split this season with Örebro HK of the Swedish Elite League and Sweden’s U20 national team. In 48 games with Örebro HK, he scored eight goals, nine assists, and 17 points, all of which ranked first among league rookies. He was named the 2025 SHL Rookie of the Year.
In 12 games with the national team, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward scored 11 goals, seven assists, and 18 points.
Fernstrom is a unique prospect as he lacks speed and struggles with one-on-one battles, but has developed his play away from the puck in order to contribute offensively. He was originally selected by Vancouver in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft.
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I could have sworn that the penguins signed Fernstrom to his elc right after the trade. Both of these signings are the right kind of additions. The offseason is off to a good start.
Love that Boko is back. Seeing the toughness that both Florida and Edmonton have displayed in the SCF should be noted with this season’s roster construction.
Well, don’t those two teams have a different type of toughness?
Boko is back! Whooooo-hooooo! Let’s party, people!
Like the signings, when they are good team-Fernstrom will be the only one that might be here. B.I. is a transitional player until they are further along in the process.
Good move!!! Let’s go Penguisn!!!