The Slender Swede Borje Salming.

I can still vividly recall one front page photo from a Toronto Star back in 1973. It was a black and white photo of the Toronto Maple Leafs two newest acquisitions. They were both players from Sweden, Inge Hammarstrom and Borje Salming were pictured with Leaf's General Manager Jim Gregory walking through the Toronto Airport.

Most Leaf fans myself included were very skeptical that two unknown players from a Scandinavian country would be able to compete in the fast, grueling and violent National Hockey League. The league at this time was about to be dominated by the Philadelphia Flyers also known as 'The Broad Street Bullies'.

Need I say more?

Borje Salming was by far the better player of the two who arrived on that day. He quickly established himself as the Leafs best and one of the NHL’s top defencemen. Borje was selected the first star in his first game played as a Leaf. His second game the following night would be in Philadelphia. It was during this game that the 'Chicken Swede' tag would forever never be pinned on Borje after a fight with tough guy Dave Schultz. The fight was a draw, but in reality it was a win for Borje, a rookie Swede holding his own against one of the leagues toughest Dave 'The Hammer' Schultz.

I could not believe it.

Almost overnight Borje became a fan favorite with the Gardens faithful and then owner Harold Ballard. Salming quickly became Ballard’s only untouchable player; he would be a Leaf for life. Although, Mr. Ballard did not have too much praise for the other Swede Mr. Hammarstrom. Ballard's now famous quote still resonates with Leaf fans from that era to this very day when he proclaimed that Hammerstrom could go into a corner with six eggs in his pocket and come out with none broken. 

Harold's comment was brutal, but the 'Chicken Swede' tag seemed warranted for the skilled but timid number eleven. All the skepticism Leaf fans had concerning Swedes not being tough enough to play in the NHL was proven true by Hammarstrom, but false by Salming. 

Never one to hog the limelight, Salming shied away from the ever present and in your face Toronto media. Borje preferred to do his talking on the ice where he spoke fluently. Early in his career he had very little command of the English language. He would more or less communicate with head nods and a very limited selection of words that he had brought with him over from Sweden.

Any Leaf fan during the mid-70's and 80's will never forget Salming’s all-out leave everything on the ice style of play. Every game displaying his pinpoint passes up the middle, slalom rushes and shot blocking. Salming would drop flat on the ice to block a low slap shot from the point only to get up and then drop again to block another shot destined for the Toronto goal. Blocking a couple shots on just one shift was a regular occurrence for the slender Swede. Much to the amazement of both teammates and fans alike often bewildered and left shaking their heads at Borje's routine suicidal antics.

By every season's end Salming appeared drained. His gaunt face could not conceal his frustration of playing for a continually losing team. A former Swedish All-Star, Borje jumped at the opportunity to play for his native country during the 1976 Canada Cup. The highlight for Borje as well as Leaf fans was the night Sweden would play Team USA at Maple Leaf Gardens. During the pre-game introductions Salming received a five minute standing ovation. It was more than any other player had received on the ice that night or during the entire tournament.

It was a memorable moment for 'King', the nickname Salming was given while playing for the Leafs. I always considered 'King' the perfect nickname because Salming was and always will be the King of the blue line in my books.

Borje would suffer many serious injuries during his seventeen year NHL career. Two immediately come to mind. One was during the 1978 playoffs against the Islanders, Borje was almost blinded in his right eye after getting a high stick from Lorne Henning. Salming made the front page of the Toronto papers after being rushed to the hospital by ambulance with his equipment still on. Leaf fans were overjoyed to find out that Borje would indeed recover and be back the following season.

The second one.

One of the most gruesome pictures I have ever seen was the front page of a Saturday Toronto Sun after a game in Detroit the night before. Salming's face had been stepped on by Gerard Gallant during a goal crease scramble. Salming received over three hundred stitches that crisscrossed his already battle scarred face. Taking advantage of the situation, my friend Jim had taken the coloured frontpage picture and mounted it on a piece of cardboard. He hung it at the front of the Collegiate Sports store in the Yorkdale Shopping Mall that he managed. Underneath the picture Jim placed every hockey visor he had in the store and by the afternoon every single one was sold. The picture was repulsive and shoppers that day could not help but notice it.

Borje would go on to play seventeen seasons in the NHL. After sixteen seasons with the Leafs he played his final year with Detroit trying to win the Stanley Cup that had forever eluded him in Toronto. It just did not feel right seeing Borje wearing the red and white. After that one season he moved back to his native Sweden without ever winning a Stanley Cup and after a couple seasons in the Swedish pro league Borje retired.

Borje was also named a first team All-Star once in 1977, as well as five second team All-Star selections. Borje would only play in three All-Star games, preferring the rest that the mid-season game provided the players who did not play.

After his career Borje has returned back to Toronto, his second home many times. In November of 1996 he came back to accept his induction and to be officially honoured as a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Salming was the first Swede ever to be inducted. On another occasion he also returned a decade later to have his number twenty-one honoured by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I personally have met Borje on a few occasions and have always been impressed with his friendly down to earth demeanour. Borje is and always will be my favorite all-time Toronto Maple Leaf player. Watching him play, no one could ever accuse Salming of not giving his best year in and year out. He was always a warrior, he was always a pro. 

Although, his compatriot Inge only lasted four seasons with the Leafs before ending his career after two seasons in St Louis. Salming was a permanent fixture on the Maple Leafs blue line. He was a fixture in the city of Toronto as well and could often be seen walking home from the subway to his High Park area home. During the summer months Borje could be seen riding his bike in High Park, always gesturing a wave or a head nod to his many fans who would always notice him.

When I first saw Salming's picture on that front page back in 1973, I would never have guessed I was looking at the first truly great European player to play in the NHL. Borje would pave the way for all the future great Europeans to come over and play for big money contracts. I hope they all send Borje a thank you card. Because had it not been for Salming breaking the myth that European players were not tough enough to play in the NHL, it might have never happened when it did.

*Updates. The 2016/17 season was the 100th anniversary season of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Borje Salming's number #21 was officially retired by the team. 

Borje was voted #8 in the top 100 greatest Maple Leaf players of all time. 

A statue of Borje also became part of Legends Row just outside The Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

In July of 2022 Borje was diagnosed with ALS also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He returned to Toronto for what many believed would be his last visit in November for the Hockey Hall of Fame weekend. It was a very emotional weekend with it becoming clearly obvious that Borje was fighting a very aggressive disease. He had gone downhill so quickly and for myself it was heartbreaking to see my hero now physically handicapped by such a debilitating disease. I shed many tears that weekend.

On November 24 2022 Borje Salming passed away from ALS, he was 71 years old. He will live on forever in the hearts of millions of hockey fans around the world. He was not just a great hockey player and a Hockey Hall of Fame legend, he was just as great a person.

RIP Mr. Salming you were and always will be my favorite Leaf player.

The King may be gone but he will never be forgotten.