Maple Leafs Honor Borje Salming With Touching Pregame Ceremony

The 71-year-old Salming — who spent 16 of his 17 NHL seasons patrolling Toronto’s blue line — was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in July and has experienced a rapid decline in health. A progressive disease of the nervous system, ALS affects cells in the brain and spinal cord leading to loss of muscle control. Salming revealed last month that he has lost the ability to speak. However, the disease attacking Salming’s body did not dampen his spirit — or his determination. Salming’s decorated on-ice career of 1,148 games with 787 points from 1973 to 1990 made him the first player in Sweden to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, with the class of 1996. He was this weekend in the Hall of Fame, when three more Swedish players will be inducted, that brought him back to Toronto, even amid growing concerns about his health. The Leafs didn’t miss an opportunity to pay respect to the franchise’s defensive leader in assists (620) and points (760), not to mention one of their most beloved stars. Borje Salming, along with his family, joins Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Canucks and William Nylander of the Maple Leafs, both Swedish players. Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images Before facing the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto played a tribute video highlighting the many facets of Salming’s NHL and international success. A defeated Salming then made his way onto the ice surrounded by family and noticed by the crowd. Instead of each team’s captain coming out for the ceremonial drop, it was Swedish-born Oliver Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander who got the call. In a final move, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe froze a starting lineup that included all six of Toronto’s Swedish-born players. It was the second time in as many nights that Salming had been recognized. He shared a similarly special moment in Toronto on Friday at the annual Hall of Fame game between Toronto and Pittsburgh. Chalming was helped on the ice that night by good friend and former teammate Daryl Sitler, who broke down in tears as he watched Chalming cheer in the arena. Salming met with Sitler in September and said he wanted to be in Toronto this weekend, which will include three Swedish-born inductees in Henrik and Daniel Sendin of Vancouver and Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa. They, and other Swedes, may never have had NHL careers if not for Salming’s early persistence. He was a pioneer in every sense of the word. The rhetoric of the 1970s surrounding Scandinavian hockey players was that they were too soft to succeed in the North American game. Salming’s bruising style challenged that stereotype with a unique blend of physicality, skill and shot-blocking tenacity. It also made him a popular target for his colleagues. But Salming would never back down from a fight. The same is true for ALS. “They were trying to bully him,” Sittler told ESPN Saturday of the attention Shalming has received. “They tried to physically abuse him in games and throw him out. But Borje, with his spirit, his fortitude, his character, went on to a 20-year career in the National Hockey League. Now with this challenge of ALS and ALS and His fitness, in a way, showed again to myself and my other teammates and the fans that this is him, this is Borje Salming. And the fact that he is here is a testament to all those qualities that he has as a person.”

title: “Maple Leafs Honor Borje Salming With Touching Pregame Ceremony " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-08” author: “Stephanie Grillo”

The 71-year-old Salming — who spent 16 of his 17 NHL seasons patrolling Toronto’s blue line — was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in July and has experienced a rapid decline in health. A progressive disease of the nervous system, ALS affects cells in the brain and spinal cord leading to loss of muscle control. Salming revealed last month that he has lost the ability to speak. However, the disease attacking Salming’s body did not dampen his spirit — or his determination. Salming’s decorated on-ice career of 1,148 games with 787 points from 1973 to 1990 made him the first player in Sweden to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, with the class of 1996. He was this weekend in the Hall of Fame, when three more Swedish players will be inducted, that brought him back to Toronto, even amid growing concerns about his health. The Leafs didn’t miss an opportunity to pay respect to the franchise’s defensive leader in assists (620) and points (760), not to mention one of their most beloved stars. Borje Salming, along with his family, joins Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Canucks and William Nylander of the Maple Leafs, both Swedish players. Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images Before facing the Vancouver Canucks, Toronto played a tribute video highlighting the many facets of Salming’s NHL and international success. A defeated Salming then made his way onto the ice surrounded by family and noticed by the crowd. Instead of each team’s captain coming out for the ceremonial drop, it was Swedish-born Oliver Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander who got the call. In a final move, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe froze a starting lineup that included all six of Toronto’s Swedish-born players. It was the second time in as many nights that Salming had been recognized. He shared a similarly special moment in Toronto on Friday at the annual Hall of Fame game between Toronto and Pittsburgh. Chalming was helped on the ice that night by good friend and former teammate Daryl Sitler, who broke down in tears as he watched Chalming cheer in the arena. Salming met with Sitler in September and said he wanted to be in Toronto this weekend, which will include three Swedish-born inductees in Henrik and Daniel Sendin of Vancouver and Daniel Alfredsson of Ottawa. They, and other Swedes, may never have had NHL careers if not for Salming’s early persistence. He was a pioneer in every sense of the word. The rhetoric of the 1970s surrounding Scandinavian hockey players was that they were too soft to succeed in the North American game. Salming’s bruising style challenged that stereotype with a unique blend of physicality, skill and shot-blocking tenacity. It also made him a popular target for his colleagues. But Salming would never back down from a fight. The same is true for ALS. “They were trying to bully him,” Sittler told ESPN Saturday of the attention Shalming has received. “They tried to physically abuse him in games and throw him out. But Borje, with his spirit, his fortitude, his character, went on to a 20-year career in the National Hockey League. Now with this challenge of ALS and ALS and His fitness, in a way, showed again to myself and my other teammates and the fans that this is him, this is Borje Salming. And the fact that he is here is a testament to all those qualities that he has as a person.”