Börje Salming

Lore & Background

Salming was born on 17 April 1951 in the village of Salmi in what is now Kiruna Municipality, Sweden. His father was a miner who died in a mining accident when Salming was five. He identified as indigenous Sámi and often wore a traditional Sami pewter bracelet. He started skating at age six and also played handball as a child. Salming played with Kiruna AIF in Sweden's Division 2 from 1967 to 1970 before joining Brynäs IF, winning league championships in 1971 and 1972. Toronto Maple Leafs scout Gerry McNamara, initially sent to watch Inge Hammarström, was more impressed by Salming and signed him as a free agent on 12 May 1973. In the NHL, Salming helped eradicate the reputation of European players as 'Chicken Swedes' through his strong performances. He was nicknamed 'The King' by his Toronto teammates. After leaving the NHL, he finished his pro career with AIK of the Swedish Elite League.

Reader's Guide

Salming's significance lies in his role as a trailblazer for European players in the NHL. Prior to his arrival, most North Americans considered European players too soft for the league's physical style. Salming's strong performances helped permanently eradicate that reputation. He was named to six consecutive NHL All-Star Teams, winning the NHL All-Star Games of 1976, 1977, and 1978, and was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy on several occasions. In 1996, his first year of eligibility, he became the first European born and trained player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2017, the NHL named him one of the 100 Greatest Players in the first century of the league. Internationally, he won silver and bronze medals at the Ice Hockey World Championships, played at three Canada Cups and the 1992 Winter Olympics, and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 1998. He was named to the IIHF Centennial All-Star Team in 2008. Salming holds several Maple Leafs records, including the most assists.

Did You Know?

• Salming was the first European born and trained player to appear in 1,000 career NHL games, on 4 January 1988.
• He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in July 2022 and died on 24 November 2022.
• Salming's number 21 was retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016.
• He posed nude for 31 paintings by Swedish graffiti artist Johan Wattberg in 2007.