Tommy Salo
Swedish goaltender who backstopped Sweden to Olympic gold in 1994 and later became an NHL All-Star with the Edmonton Oilers.
Tommy Mikael Salo (born 1 February 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey goaltender and the current general manager of Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche, and previously served as head coach of IK Oskarshamn.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Goaltender
- Catches
- Left
- Played for
- Elitserien
- Västerås IK
- Modo Hockey
- Frölunda HC
- NHL
- New York Islanders
- Edmonton Oilers
- Colorado Avalanche
- Born
- 1 February 1971
- Birthplace
- Surahammar, Sweden
- Draft
- 118th overall
- Drafted by
- New York Islanders
Lore & Background
Salo played an integral role in Sweden's gold medal victory at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. He made critical saves in the gold medal game, as they defeated Canada in a shootout to secure Sweden's first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey.
Reader's Guide
Salo's career includes stints with the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, and Colorado Avalanche. He was traded to Edmonton on March 20, 1999, and to Colorado on March 9, 2004. After the 2004–05 lockout, he returned to Sweden with Modo Hockey and retired on March 17, 2005, due to chronic hip pain. He later became head coach of IK Oskarshamn and general manager of Leksands IF.
Did You Know?
- Salo was drafted 118th overall by the New York Islanders in 1993.
- He won back-to-back Turner Cups with the Utah Grizzlies in the IHL.
- Salo recorded a career-best 2.22 goals against average in 2001–02.
- He was convicted of aggravated drunken driving in January 2021 and sentenced to two months in prison.
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