San Jose Barracuda forward Krystof Hrabik has been suspended 30 games for directing a racist gesture toward Tucson Roadrunners winger Boko Imama, who is Black.

Hrabik committed the act during a game on Jan. 12 and has already sat out for three contests.

The 22-year-old center will take part in education and training with the NHL's Player Inclusion Committee. He can apply to have the suspension reduced after March 12, and that ruling would be made based on his progress with the committee.

“The AHL stands with Boko Imama,” AHL president and CEO Scott Howson said in a statement. “It is unfair that any player should be subjected to comments or gestures based on their race; they should be judged only on their ability to perform as a player on the ice, as a teammate in the locker room, and as a member of their community.”

The Barracuda and the San Jose Sharks, who share an affiliation, said in a joint statement that they were "appalled to learn of this incident." The two clubs also extended their "sincerest apologies" to Imama, the Roadrunners, the AHL, their fans, and the hockey community as a whole.

This is the second time a player has been disciplined for an act of racism toward Imama in his career. Brandon Manning, then a defenseman for the Bakersfield Condors, was suspended five games exactly two years ago Friday for directing a racial slur toward Imama, who was with the Ontario Reign.

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Imama in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. He's since played in the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes organizations. The Roadrunners are the Coyotes' AHL affiliate.

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