LEAF LEGEND:  BORJE SALMING

By Salvatore Ianni

Date: 1/5/2001

Borje Salming was the first European player to be a superstar in the NHL, despite many threats from opposing teams that he wouldn't last and that he could not adapt to the NHL style of play. Salming proved all his doubters wrong, as he anchored the blueline in Toronto.

By doing so, he paved the way for many future superstars like Pavel Bure, Jaromir Jagr, Dominik Hasek, and Mats Sundin. Without Salming, we might never have seen these stars play, and the NHL would not have become the global presence it is today.

Borje Salming was born April 17, 1951 in Kiruna, Sweden. He was discovered by Leafs scout Gerry McNamara in 1972. McNamara was impressed by the play of Salming and his teammate Inge Hammarstrom and, with the Leafs undergoing one of their worst seasons in franchise history in 1972-73, McNamara recommended that Salming and Hammarstrom join the Leafs to help out a team whose lineup had been decimated by the World Hockey Association, losing many key young players like Bernie Parent, Rick Ley, and Brad Selwood. The Leafs signed both players that summer and used Salming with fellow rookie Ian Turnbull to fill the holes on defence. Their partnership would form the backbone of the Leafs' bluline for the next 7 years.

Salming's 1st NHL game, attended by Swedish Ambassador Ake Malmeus, was a routine 7-4 Leaf home ice victory over the Buffalo sabres on Oct. 10, 1973. It was Salming's 2nd NHL game, however, that earned him the respect of team mates and eventually his opponents. The next night, the Leafs were shutout 2-0 by Parent and the Philadelphia Flyers but the game was highlighted by constant brawling and fighting. The Flyers saved plenty of their attention on Salming, calling him a 'Chicken Swede' and sending their toughest player Dave 'The Hammer' Schultz to intimidate him at every turn. To the surprise of the Flyer fans, Salming not only took his lumps, but he could also dish it out as well. Undaunted, the Flyers continued their strategy whenever they played the Leafs and this led to a heated rivalry between the two teams which grew more heated in the playoffs. In one series, in April of 1976, Mel Bridgman was giving Salming a pounding with his stick and fists hoping to wear him down. But in the next game, on Salming's 25th birthday, Salming shook off Bridgman and took a pass from Darryl Sittler at the Flyer blueline, broke in alone on Parent, and beat him with a quick wrist shot. The resulting ovation was one of the loudest in Maple Leaf Gardens history. After that, other teams left him alone and they often paid for it.

Salming then became a star. He was named an All-Star for 6 straight seasons, set the Leafs record for career assists, and almost won the Norris Trophy, finishing as runner up twice. In Sept. of 1976, he represented Sweden at the first Canada Cup. During a game at the Gardens, he received the loudest ovation of any player that was introduced, which upset some of Team Canada's players but it was well deserved. The Leafs were a team on the rise, but sadly, Salming would miss their greatest moment in 15 years. In their 1978 series vs. the Islanders he was clipped in the eye by Lorne Henning's stick and the injury was serious enough to force him to miss the rest of the playoffs.

After that season, the Leafs struggled badly for many years and salming's skills deteriorated, yet he always remained a favourite of owner Harold Ballard. In 1988, Salming left Toronto and played his final season in Detroit before going back to Sweden to finish his career. After his retirement, he was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame becoming the first European player to receive that honour. Since then, he has remained a hero to many Swedish players, including Mats Sundin, who sought out Salming for advice on the day he was traded to Toronto in 1994. "BJ" is still remembered as one of the greatest Leafs ever.