Börje Salming
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Anders Börje Salming ( ; 17 April 1951 – 24 November 2022) was a Swedish
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player. He was a
defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...
who played professionally for 23 seasons, for the clubs
Brynäs IF Brynäs IF is a Swedish professional ice hockey team from Gävle. The club currently plays in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), promoted from the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden, following the 2023–24 season. The ...
,
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
,
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, and AIK. He spent 16 seasons with the Maple Leafs, who retired his number 21 in 2016. Salming holds several Maple Leafs records, including the most assists. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL), for which he is often considered a trailblazer, being named to six consecutive NHL All-Star Teams, winning the
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game () is an exhibition ice hockey tournament that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many of the League's star players playing against each other. The ga ...
s of
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
and
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
, alongside being named a finalist for the
James Norris Memorial Trophy The James Norris Memorial Trophy, or simply the Norris Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top " defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position". It is named after Ja ...
on several occasions. In 1996, his first year of eligibility, Salming became the first European born and trained player inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...
. In 2017, the NHL named Salming one of the 100 Greatest Players in the first century of the league. Salming played internationally for the
Sweden men's national ice hockey team The Sweden men's national ice hockey team () is governed by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world and a member of the so-called " Big Six", the unofficial group of the six ...
, winning silver and bronze medals at the
Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), first officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the I ...
. He also played at three
Canada Cup The Canada Cup () was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The brainchild of Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson, the tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that a ...
s and the
1992 Winter Olympics The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Albertville '92 (Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile '92''), were a winter multi-sport event held from 8 to 23 February 1992 in and aroun ...
. In recognition of his international career, Salming was inducted into the
IIHF Hall of Fame The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was founded in 1997, and has resided at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto since 1998. Prior to 1997, the IIHF housed exhibits at the Interna ...
in 1998, and named to the
IIHF Centennial All-Star Team The IIHF Centennial All-Star Team is an all-star team of hockey players from international ice hockey tournaments. The team was chosen based on the players' "impact in international ice hockey over a period of at least a decade," with a requirement ...
in 2008. Salming was diagnosed with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, Terminal illness, terminal neurodegenerative disease, neurodegenerative disorder that results i ...
(ALS) in July 2022. He died on 24 November 2022, days after accepting an award in what his wife announced on his behalf would be the family's final public appearance.


Early life

Salming was born on 17 April 1951 in the village of Salmi in what is now
Kiruna Municipality Kiruna Municipality (; ; ; ) is a municipalities of Sweden, municipality in Norrbotten County in northernmost Sweden. Its administrative centre, seat is located in Kiruna. It is the northernmost municipality in Sweden, and at is Sweden's geograph ...
, near
Torneträsk Torneträsk or Torne träsk (; Saami: ; Finnish and or ) is a lake in Kiruna Municipality, Lapland, Norrbotten County in Sweden, in the Scandinavian Mountains. ''Träsk'' is the local word for ''lake'' (in Standard Swedish it means "swamp"). ...
in
Jukkasjärvi Jukkasjärvi (; Sami: ''Čohkkiras'') is a locality situated in Kiruna Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden with 548 inhabitants in 2010. It is situated at 321 meters elevation. The name is of Northern Sami origin, where ''Čohkkirasjávri'' ...
Parish. His father, Erland (1921–1956), was of
Sami Acronyms * SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft * Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company * South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise ne ...
origin, while his mother, Karin (née Persson, 1927–2022), was
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
. His paternal grandfather Anders Nikolaus had the surname of ''Sarri'', but changed it to ''Salming'' after the village that he and his father (Börje's great-grandfather) had built up. His father was a miner who died in a mining accident when Salming was 5 years old. Salming's older brother, and role model growing up, Stig Salming (b.1947) also played hockey, for
Brynäs IF Brynäs IF is a Swedish professional ice hockey team from Gävle. The club currently plays in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), promoted from the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden, following the 2023–24 season. The ...
between 1968 and 1981, becoming Swedish champions six times. Salming identified himself as indigenous Sámi and was included in the electoral roll for Sametinget. He also shared his experiences growing up as indigenous in his native
Kiruna (; ; ; ) is the northernmost Stad (Sweden), city in Sweden, situated in the province of Lapland, Sweden, Lapland. It had 17,002 inhabitants in 2016 and is the seat of Kiruna Municipality (population: 23,167 in 2016) in Norrbotten County. The c ...
and supported the struggle for Indigenous peoples' human rights on national TV. As a reflection of his Sámi heritage, Salming often wore a traditional Sami
pewter Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. In the past, it was an alloy of tin and lead, but most modern pewter, in order to prevent lead poi ...
bracelet. The Salming family resided close to a ice skating hall called Matojärvi hall where Börje started skating at the age of 6. He also played
handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...
during his childhood.


Playing career


Swedish leagues

Salming played with Kiruna AIF in Sweden's Division 2 from 1967 to 1970 before joining Brynäs in the top division between 1970 and 1973. Brynäs won league championships in 1971 and 1972 with Salming on the squad. The team's success attracted attention from Toronto Maple Leafs scout
Gerry McNamara Gerry McNamara (born August 28, 1983) is an American former basketball player and current head coach of the Siena Saints men's basketball team. Gerry is the former associate head coach of the Syracuse University men's basketball team. A forme ...
, who was initially sent to investigate
Inge Hammarström Hans Inge Hammarström (born 20 January 1948) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger. He played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues between 1973 and 1979. The rest of ...
, but was more impressed by Salming after seeing him play. The Maple Leafs signed Salming as a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
on 12 May 1973. After leaving the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL) he completed his pro hockey career with AIK of the Swedish Elite League. One of the opponents he faced at AIK was young defenceman
Nicklas Lidström Erik Nicklas Lidström (; born 28 April 1970) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detr ...
, who credited Salming with encouraging his own career.


National Hockey League

Salming made his NHL debut with the Leafs at the beginning of the
1973–74 NHL season The 1973–74 NHL season was the 57th season of the National Hockey League. The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup championship, the team's first. The team was the first of the post-1967 teams to win the Cup. League business With owner Ch ...
against the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
. After a 7–4 victory, Salming was named the best player of the game. By the end of the season, Salming had recorded 39 points. Prior to Salming's arrival in the NHL, most North Americans considered European players too soft to play in the NHL. North American ice hockey was played in a more physical style on a smaller rink, and hockey fights were common, while European ice hockey emphasised speed and skill on a larger ice surface. NHL sources even referred to players from Sweden as "Chicken Swedes." Salming's strong performances helped to permanently eradicate that reputation. On 4 September 1986, Salming was suspended by the NHL for eight regular season games and fined $500, because he was quoted in a Toronto newspaper in May saying that he used
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
"five, six years ago, but not since and I feel good about saying no." The league initially suspended him for the entire season, then commuted the suspension. On 26 November 1986, late in a game between the Leafs and the Red Wings in Detroit, Salming was knocked down in front of the Leafs net and
Gerard Gallant Gerard Gallant (born September 2, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. He was most recently the head coach of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously served as the head coach for the Columbu ...
of the Red Wings accidentally cut Salming's face with his skate blade. The injury required facial cosmetic surgery that involved more than 200 stitches. On 4 January 1988, Salming became the first European born and trained player to appear in 1,000 career NHL games. In recognition of his achievement, on 27 January (in Salming's 1,011th game), he was gifted a car driven onto the ice by his parents and friend
Inge Hammarström Hans Inge Hammarström (born 20 January 1948) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger. He played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues between 1973 and 1979. The rest of ...
in a surprise pre-game ceremony, inspired by a similar ceremony given by the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
to
Bill Barber William Charles Barber (born July 11, 1952) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League (NHL). As part of the famed LCB ( Leach, Clarke, Barber) line, ...
. In 1989, after 16 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he signed as a free agent with the Red Wings, for whom he played one season to finish his career in the NHL. In the NHL, he played 1148 regular season games (1099 of them with the Leafs) and 81 playoff games, scoring totals of 150 goals and 637 assists. Salming was named a First Team All-Star in
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
, and was selected to the Second Team in
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
,
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
,
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
, and
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
. Salming spent 16 seasons with the Maple Leafs, recording 768 points (148 goals, 620 assists). The other Toronto players nicknamed him 'The King'.


International play

Salming had an extensive international playing career. He played for the Swedish national team at the
1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
and 1973 World Championships, winning a silver and bronze medal, respectively. He also played at the
Canada Cup The Canada Cup () was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The brainchild of Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson, the tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that a ...
in
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...
, and
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
; and the
1992 Winter Olympics The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Albertville '92 (Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile '92''), were a winter multi-sport event held from 8 to 23 February 1992 in and aroun ...
. The 1976 Canada Cup was held at
Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church and Wellesley, Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was originally constructed in 1931 as an indoor arena to host ice hoc ...
. Sweden faced
Team USA The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...
in Toronto, and Salming received a
standing ovation A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding, often after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim. Standing ovations are considered to be a special honor. Often they are ...
. Salming later commented, "I'll never forget our game in Toronto. The fans gave me a standing ovation during the introductions. I was representing my country and Canadian fans gave me a standing ovation. Sometimes hockey has no country." In recognition of his international career, Salming was named to the
IIHF Centennial All-Star Team The IIHF Centennial All-Star Team is an all-star team of hockey players from international ice hockey tournaments. The team was chosen based on the players' "impact in international ice hockey over a period of at least a decade," with a requirement ...
in 2008, one of five players honoured.


Retirement

After the end of his playing career, Salming launched an eponymous brand of sports
underwear Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled ...
. In 2007, at age 56, he posed nude for 31 paintings by Swedish graffiti artist
Johan Wattberg Johan may refer to: * Johan (given name) * ''Johan'' (1921 film), a Swedish film directed by Mauritz Stiller * Johan (2005 film), a Dutch romantic comedy film * Johan (band), a Dutch pop-group ** ''Johan'' (album), a 1996 album by the group * Joh ...
. Ten of the paintings were displayed in Sweden, with the remaining 21 (matching his jersey number) displayed in Toronto.


Personal life

Early in his career as a Leaf, Salming resided in the
High Park High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. High Park is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One-third of the park remains ...
neighbourhood in Toronto with his wife Margitta, a children's-wear designer; they later divorced. In 2016, he married Pia Salming. Salming had four children: Theresa and Anders with first wife Margitta, and Rasmus and Bianca with his ex-partner Katarina. His daughter Bianca Salming is a
heptathlete A heptathlon is a track and field combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek ἑπτά (hepta, meaning "seven") and ἄθλος (áthlos, or ἄθλον, áthlon, meaning "competition"). A competitor in a hep ...
.


ALS diagnosis and death

In February 2022, Salming began to experience an unusual twitching motion in his muscles, which later forced him to prematurely exit an alumni game in March. In mid-July, Salming was diagnosed with
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, Terminal illness, terminal neurodegenerative disease, neurodegenerative disorder that results i ...
, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease. On 10 August, Salming publicly revealed his diagnosis via a statement shared through the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. Following his diagnosis, Salming developed severe depression. Appearing in public on 17 October, for the first time since his diagnosis, Salming revealed that his condition had worsened: he had lost the ability to speak, requiring him to use a
tablet computer A tablet computer, commonly shortened to tablet, is a mobile device, typically with a mobile operating system and touchscreen display processing circuitry, and a rechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets, being computers ...
for communication, and required a
feeding tube A feeding tube is a medical device used to provide nutrition to people who cannot obtain nutrition by mouth, are unable to swallow safely, or need nutritional supplementation. The state of being fed by a feeding tube is called gavage, enteral f ...
for meals. On 11 November 2022, despite his diagnosis, Salming made the annual trip to Toronto for the Maple Leafs' Hall of Fame induction weekend game, where he was part of an emotional pre-game moment where lifelong friend
Darryl Sittler Darryl Glen Sittler (born September 18, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. H ...
helped Salming wave to the crowd. The following night, the Maple Leafs honoured Salming in their game against the
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
, featuring a pre-game ceremony dedicated to the defender where a tearful Salming dropped the puck in the ceremonial face off, with Toronto's
William Nylander William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius (born 1 May 1996) is a Swedish professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nylander was selected by the Maple Leafs in t ...
and Vancouver's
Oliver Ekman-Larsson Oliver Oscar Emanuel Ekman-Larsson (; born 17 July 1991) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Known by his initials "OEL", Ekman-Larsson was selected sixth overall by the ...
receiving the faceoff, both Swedes. The Maple Leafs selected a unique starting line-up of six Swedish players to honour Salming's career. The following week, on 17 November 2022, Salming was elected to the all-star team of the century and was awarded the NHL's Honorary Award at a ceremony in Sweden. Following the ceremony, Salming's wife announced that the event would be the family's final appearance. One week later, on 24 November 2022, Salming died at the age of 71. His death made national headlines in Canada and in Sweden, with several organizations, athletes, and celebrities offering tributes to his life. For the remainder of the
2022–23 NHL season The 2022–23 NHL season was the 106th season of operation (105th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season began on October 7, 2022, when the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators played the first of two game ...
, the Maple Leafs wore commemorative shoulder patches in Salming's honour, with the team also making several donations to ALS research. On 30 November 2022, a moment of silence was held at
Scotiabank Arena Scotiabank Arena (SBA), formerly known as Air Canada Centre (ACC), is a multi-purposed arena located on Bay Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and t ...
to honour him during a game where the
San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
visited the Toronto Maple Leafs. A private funeral was held at
Skogskyrkogården (; ) is a cemetery located in the Gamla Enskede district south of central Stockholm, Sweden. It was inaugurated in 1920 and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. Its design, by Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz, reflects th ...
on 20 December 2022. Three days earlier, his mother Karin died aged 95.


Legacy

One year after his death, the Börje Salming Courage Award was established, which is given to the European NHL alumnus who has been a positive influence in their community and best embodies Salming's legacy.
Nicklas Lidström Erik Nicklas Lidström (; born 28 April 1970) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detr ...
, who had considered Salming to be his personal hero, was awarded the inaugural trophy on 16 November 2023. His death, along with the death of Chris Snow, the Calgary Flames assistant general manager, inspired all seven Canadian NHL teams to collectively fight ALS through the ALS Super Fund.


Börje Salming ALS Foundation

Two months before his death, the Börje Salming ALS Foundation was established by Salming and his family to advance medical scientific research to increase understanding and improve the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Each spring, the foundation hosts the "A Night for Börje" gala in collaboration with and hosted with Berns, an iconic venue in Stockholm.


Honours and awards

In November 1996, Salming became the first Swedish player to be inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...
. In 2017, the NHL itself named Salming one of the ' 100 Greatest Players' in league history. On 4 October 2006, Salming's no. 21 was honoured by the Leafs in a ceremony, along with
Red Kelly Leonard Patrick "Red" Kelly (July 9, 1927 – May 2, 2019) was a Canadian professional hockey player and coach. Kelly played on more Stanley Cup-winning teams (eight) than any other player who never played for the Montreal Canadiens; Henri R ...
's and
Hap Day Clarence Henry "Happy" Day (June 14, 1901 – February 17, 1990), later known as Hap Day, was a Canadian professional hockey player who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Americans. Day enjo ...
's no. 4, before their first game of the 2006–07 season. On 15 October 2016, to mark the centennial season of the Maple Leafs organization, Salming's number 21 was formally retired in a pre-game ceremony alongside other franchise greats who received the same honour for their respective numbers. * Named to the All-Star Team at the
World Ice Hockey Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), first officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the E ...
in
1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
. * Named to the Swedish All-Star Team in 1973 and 1989. * Named to the
NHL First All-Star Team The National Hockey League All-Star teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position. Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the all-st ...
in
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
. * Named to the
NHL Second All-Star Team The National Hockey League All-Star teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position. Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the all-st ...
in
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
,
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
,
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...
and
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
. * Named to the
Canada Cup The Canada Cup () was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The brainchild of Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson, the tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that a ...
All-Star Team in
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
. * Named to the
IIHF Centennial All-Star Team The IIHF Centennial All-Star Team is an all-star team of hockey players from international ice hockey tournaments. The team was chosen based on the players' "impact in international ice hockey over a period of at least a decade," with a requirement ...
in 2008. * Named to the Swedish All-Star Team of the Century in 2022. * Awarded the Viking Award (Best Swede in North America) in 1976,
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
and 1979. * Awarded the
Molson Cup The Molson Cup is an award presented to a distinguished player on Canadian ice hockey teams. After each game, the " three game stars" are selected, usually by a member of the media. At the end of the season, the player with the most three-star h ...
(Most 3 Star Selections) in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1980.Vi får minnas alla bra saker med Börje
Svenska Dagbladet. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
* Awarded the Charlie Conacher Humanitarian Award in
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
. * Awarded the NHL Honorary Award in 2022. * Played in and won the
NHL All-Star Game The National Hockey League All-Star Game () is an exhibition ice hockey tournament that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many of the League's star players playing against each other. The ga ...
s of
1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
,
1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
and
1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
. *
James Norris Memorial Trophy The James Norris Memorial Trophy, or simply the Norris Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top " defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position". It is named after Ja ...
runner-up twice, finished top 5 in voting 7 times. * Inducted into the
IIHF Hall of Fame The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was founded in 1997, and has resided at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto since 1998. Prior to 1997, the IIHF housed exhibits at the Interna ...
in 1998. *Number (21) Retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs * ' 100 Greatest Players' in NHL history *
Swedish Ice Hockey Association The Swedish Ice Hockey Association () in Swedish, is an association of Swedish ice hockey clubs. It was established in Stockholm on 17 November 1922 by representatives from seven clubs. Before then, organized ice hockey in Sweden had been admi ...
All-Century Team


Records

* Salming holds six career and single season Toronto Maple Leaf records including most career points by a defenceman, most career goals by a defenceman, most career assists (any position), most assists in a season by a defenceman, and best career plus-minus. * First Swedish player (and the second European player, after
Vladislav Tretiak Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak State Duma, MP ( rus, links=no, Владислав Александрович Третьяк, p=trʲɪˈtʲjak; born 25 April 1952) is a Russian former goaltender for the Soviet Union national ice hockey team. ...
) to be inducted into the
Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is a museum and hall of fame located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and National Hockey Le ...
.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs

*''Reference:''


International

*''Reference:''


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Salming, Borje 1951 births 2022 deaths AIK IF players Brynäs IF players Deaths from motor neuron disease Detroit Red Wings players Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Ice hockey players at the 1992 Winter Olympics IIHF Hall of Fame inductees National Hockey League All-Stars Neurological disease deaths in Sweden Olympic ice hockey players for Sweden People from Kiruna Municipality Ice hockey people from Norrbotten County Swedish Sámi sportspeople Swedish ice hockey defencemen Toronto Maple Leafs players Undrafted National Hockey League players Swedish expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Swedish expatriate ice hockey players in the United States