“The Toronto Maple Leafs mourn the loss of Borje Salming. Börje was a pioneer in the sport and an icon with an indestructible spirit and undeniable tenacity. He opened doors for other Europeans in the NHL and made a name for himself through his on-ice play and his community efforts,” the club wrote in a statement on its website.
The NHL team sends its condolences to Salming’s family and writes that he “will forever be a part of our hockey family.”
Börje Salming is one of the best ever in Swedish ice hockey. He was born in Kiruna in 1951 and started his professional career at what was then Elitserielaget Brynäs. In 1973 he made the leap to Canada and quickly made a name for himself in Toronto.
A Swedish pioneer
His progress in North America helped open doors for other Swedes, which helped the NHL become the Swedish league it is today.
Salming’s tributes by the Canadian public during the 1976 Canada Cup were named the Swedish hockey moment of all time at the Tidernas hockey gala earlier this month. There he was honored by the entire Swedish hockey elite when he and his family received the award.
It was Salming’s last public appearance.
Celebrated in Toronto
Earlier that month, he was honored for two nights in Toronto at a ceremony dedicated entirely to Salming. There he was rewarded by the home crowd for the club he represented for 16 seasons.
– I’ve spoken to his family and they say they’ve almost never seen him happier, said friend Daryll Sittler of the TT tributes.
Börje Salming was named to the NHL All Star Team in the 1976-77 season. He became the first Swedish player in the hockey Hall of Fame when he was elected in 1996.
Salming represented Tre Kronor in four World Cups, three Canada Cups and the 1992 Winter Olympics.
He suffered from ALS
Last summer, Salming told us that he has the disease ALS. Nervous disease worsened his health, and towards the end Salming had difficulty both walking and talking.
What causes ALS is currently unclear, and those diagnosed with the disease usually die within two to four years of being diagnosed.
– What happens is that the muscles wither and breathing is affected as well. Eventually, respiratory function becomes so bad that you die, Caroline Ingre, adjunct professor who leads an ALS research group at Karolinska Institutet, told TT.
