TORONTO — Borje Salming was “The King” when he played in Toronto. On Saturday night, the Maple Leafs gave Salming a real, and overwhelmingly emotional, welcome home.
Salming, 71, who spent 16 of his 17 NHL seasons patrolling Toronto’s blue line, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in July and has faced a rapidly declining health . A progressive disease of the nervous system, ALS affects cells in the brain and spinal cord causing loss of muscle control. Salming revealed last month that he had lost the ability to speak.
The disease that attacked Salming’s body has not diminished his spirit, nor his determination. Salming’s decorated on-ice career, which spanned 1,148 games with 787 points from 1973 to 1990, made him the first Swedish-born player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, with the promotion from 1996. It was this Hall of Fame weekend, when three more Swedish players will be inducted, that brought him back to Toronto, even amid growing health issues.
The Leafs didn’t miss a chance to respect the franchise’s defensive leader in assists (620) and points (760), not to mention one of their most beloved stars.
Borje Salming, along with his family, participates in a ceremonial puck throw with Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Canucks and William Nylander of the Maple Leafs, both Swedish players. Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images
Before facing the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto played a tribute video highlighting the many facets of Salming’s NHL and international success. Afterwards, an overcome Salming walked onto the ice surrounded by family and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
Instead of each team’s captain coming out for the ceremonial puck, it was Sweden’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander who got the call. In a final gesture, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe created a starting lineup that featured all six of Toronto’s Swedish players.
It was the second time in as many nights that Salming was recognized. He shared an equally special moment in Toronto on Friday at the annual Hall of Fame game between Toronto and Pittsburgh. Salming was helped onto the ice that night by good friend and former teammate Darryl Sittler, who broke down in tears watching Salming cheer around the arena.
Salming met with Sittler in September and said he wanted to be in Toronto this weekend with three members of Swedish origin in Henrik and Daniel Sedin of Vancouver and Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa.
They, and other Swedes, might never have had NHL careers if not for Salming’s early perseverance. He was a pioneer in every sense of the word.
The rhetoric of the 1970s surrounding Scandinavian hockey players was that they were too soft to succeed in the American game. Salming’s bruising style defied that stereotype with a unique combination of physicality, skill and shot-blocking tenacity. It also made him a popular target for fellow players.
But Salming would never back down from a fight. The same goes for ALS.
“They were trying to intimidate him,” Sittler told ESPN Saturday of the attention Salming drew. “They tried to physically abuse him in games and throw him out. But Borje, with his temper, his fortitude, his character, went on to have a 20-year career in the National Hockey League. Now with this challenge of ALS and his physical condition, in a way, he showed me and my other teammates and the fans again that this is who he is, this is Borje Salming. And the fact that he is here is a proof of all those characteristics he has as a person”.