Boko Imama, a Montreal native, expressed his enthusiasm when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Bill Zonnon in the first round of last summer’s NHL Draft. Imama immediately contacted Trevor Daley, Special Assistant to the President of Hockey Operations and GM, to share his excitement about the team’s decision.
Imama and Anthony Duclair, who host an annual hockey camp in Quebec inspired by their experiences with racism and the Black Lives Matter movement, invited Zonnon to participate. “Great kid that he is, no hesitation,” Imama said. “He came down to our camp. He spent close to two hours there. He went on the ice with the kids after, took pictures and all that. I feel like Billy is just a really good teammate, great person.”
During SportsNet Pittsburgh’s Unobstructed Views altcast for the team’s Black History Game earlier this month, Zonnon discussed representation in hockey. “I think for me as a kid, it was huge just seeing those guys playing at the highest level and just being themselves and having an impact on kids like me,” Zonnon said. “And it’s pretty crazy to think that now I can be one of those guys as well. So, I take a lot of pride in that. Just be myself, be a good role model for all those kids.”
Zonnon identified P.K. Subban as his biggest influence growing up.
Bill’s parents, Augustin and Mathilde, immigrated from Togo to Canada before starting their family. His younger sister Keshia also plays hockey at Stanstead College. The family had little knowledge of hockey upon arriving in Montreal but soon embraced it due to its popularity in the city.
“But obviously, everyone knows that hockey is so big here in Montreal, so it’s almost impossible to not hear about it or not watch any of the games,” Bill told Mears and Talbot. “My love for it started when I was around five or six years old, watching P.K. Subban and the Canadiens.
“So, I told my parents I want to start playing hockey. I went to the store, and we got some gear, even though I didn’t know anything about hockey. And obviously, over time, we kind of realized I was pretty good at it.”
Augustin works as a quality control manager for a concrete company while Mathilde is a senior cash analyst at a bank. They emphasized hard work and respect throughout Bill’s upbringing.
“I have so much love for them. You know, I’m here because of them,” Zonnon said. “They went through so much to be in a position they are in today… They started with nothing, and look where they are now.”
The family supported Bill’s move at age 14 to play at Norwood School in Lake Placid before he returned closer to home after being drafted by Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
After scoring 83 points (28 goals and 55 assists) during his third season with Rouyn-Noranda Huskies—an achievement making him a top prospect ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft—Zonnon met Subban shortly before being drafted.
“For his story to be connected to me playing in the NHL is really, really cool,” Subban said. “Really cool… It still kind of blows me away.”
Zonnon admired Subban’s presence both on and off the ice: “And even off the ice, he was such a big role model for kids here.” In 2014 Subban founded The P.K. Subban Foundation which committed $10 million to Montreal Children’s Hospital—the largest philanthropic commitment by an athlete in Canada.
“I think that when you want to be great at what you do… You want to be great in all aspects of it,” Subban said.
Subban praised Zonnon’s family: “I’m like this kid’s great but his family’s remarkable… he’s hungry for opportunities that lie ahead… There’s a quiet confidence to him too.”
Subban advised Zonnon: “And he has high compete… That’s what put him in the position he’s in now.”
Before being drafted by Pittsburgh—a franchise known for its Hall of Fame players and strong community ties according to its official website—Zonnon was traded within junior leagues but faced injuries early this season before returning healthy.
Now describing himself as a power forward with 10 goals and 31 points over 25 games played this season so far—and working on improving his skating—Zonnon remains focused on reaching Pittsburgh’s roster someday.
“At the end of the day… I have the talent; I have skill; I have mindset… So I think it’s up to me… become best version myself… up to me prove it everyone,” Zonnon said.
The Pittsburgh Penguins play home games at PPG Paints Arena downtown (source) and are owned by Fenway Sports Group (source). The organization maintains strong fan traditions as part of Pittsburgh’s sports culture (source).
