Coyotes Assign Defenseman Michael Kesselring To Roadrunners And Recall Forward Boko Imama

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Tucson, Arizona – The Arizona Coyotes and General Manager Bill Armstrong announced Monday that defenseman Michael Kesselring has been assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners from Arizona, while forward Boko Imama has been recalled from Tucson by the Coyotes. Kesselring recorded his first NHL point with an assist in Sunday’s matchup between Arizona and the Colorado Avalanche, while Imama last played with the Coyotes on Wednesday, March 22 in Edmonton. The pair represent two of the 11 total Roadrunners players to receive NHL call-ups on the season.

Michael Kesselring returns to the Tucson Roadrunners tied for third among American Hockey League defensemen in goals with 14, while leading all AHL blue-liners with 170 shots. His 24 total points (14g 10a) across 52 outings between Tucson and the Bakersfield Condors are the second most by a defenseman on the Roadrunners roster. In three AHL appearances with Tucson since being acquired by Arizona on March 2, the 23-year-old has notched a goal and an assist along with a fight. Kesselring’s first career NHL point came as an assist on Christian Fischer’s third-period goal on Sunday against the Colorado Avalanche, and he has skated for the Coyotes in eight games since making his NHL debut with Arizona on March 3 at Mullett Arena against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Forward Boko Imama is back with the Coyotes where he has appeared in five NHL outings this season. The 26-year-old took the ice for both of Tucson’s matchups on the road over the weekend against the Colorado Eagles and recorded an assist in Saturday’s 7-1 win to match his AHL career high with 14 points (5g 9a) in 45 games played this season. In Sunday’s series finale from Loveland, Colorado, Imama opened the action with a fight 2:42 into the first period against Eagles defenseman Keaton Middleton. The bout was his sixth time dropping the gloves this season, which is tied for the second most on the Roadrunners. He made his season debut with Arizona in a 6-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on March 7, as the Coyotes are 4-0-1-0 with Imama in the lineup since.

The Roadrunners continue their six-game road trip on Wednesday night by taking on the San Diego Gulls at Pechanga Arena at 7:00 p.m. MST, as they look for their third-straight win to open the trip. Meanwhile, the Arizona Coyotes host the Edmonton Oilers Monday night at Mullett Arena in Tempe at 7:00 p.m. MST.