Börje Salming
Encyclopedia
Anders Börje Salming nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey
defenceman
. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF
, the Toronto Maple Leafs
, the Detroit Red Wings
, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League
(NHL), paving the way for future generations of players. He was one of the premier defencemen of his era in the NHL, and was recognized for this by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1996. Salming also played extensively for Sweden in international play. He was recognized for this by being selected to the International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF) Centennial All-Star Team
.
near Torneträsk
. His father Erland was of Saami
origin, while his mother Karin was Swedish. His paternal grandfather Anders Nikolaus had the surname of Saari, but changed to Salming after the village that he and his father (Börje's great-grandfather) had built up. His father was a mineworker and died in an accident in the mine when Salming was 5 years old. He is proud of his Sami heritage, and wears a traditional Sami pewter bracelet.
He followed in his brothers footsteps playing ice hockey and also played hand ball.
in the top division between 1970 and 1973. Brynäs won league championships in 1971 and 1972 with Salming on the squad. Salming was signed as a free agent
by the Toronto Maple Leafs
on May 12, 1973. Salming was not the Leafs target when they began scouting in Sweden, they were actually interested in Inge Hammarström
, but scout Gerry McNamara
reported back positively on Salming after seeing him play.
Salming made his National Hockey League
(NHL) debut with the Leafs at the beginning of the 1973–74 NHL season against the Buffalo Sabres
. After a 7–4 victory, Salming was named the best player of the game. At the end of the season, Salming had recorded 39 points.
Prior to Salming, the consensus in North American hockey circles was that European players lacked the toughness to play North American hockey, with those from Sweden even being referred to as "Swedish Chickens". However, Salming did much to permanently eradicate that reputation. He played 1148 regular games (1099 of them with the Leafs), 81 playoff games and scored 150 goals and 637 assists in the NHL.
Salming was named a First Team All-Star in 1977
, and was selected to the Second Team in 1975
, 1976
, 1978
, 1979
and 1980
. Salming spent 16 seasons with the Maple Leafs, recording 768 points (148 goals, 620 assists).
On November 26, 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
of the Red Wings accidentally cut Salming's face with his skate blade. The injury required facial surgery and more than two hundred stitches to his face.
In 1989, after sixteen years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Borje signed as a free agent with the Red Wings, for whom he played one season to finish his career in the NHL. He completed his pro hockey career with AIK of the Swedish Elite League.
which was held at Maple Leaf Gardens
. When Team Sweden
was playing against the United States, Salming received an extended standing ovation during player introductions. 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 1998, he was ranked 74th on The Hockey News list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, the highest-ranked player from Sweden.
On October 4, 2006, Salming's no. 21, along with Red Kelly
's and Hap Day
's no. 4, was honoured and raised to the top of the Air Canada Centre
by the Leafs in a ceremony before their first game of the 2006–07 season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF
Brynäs IF
Brynäs IF is a professional Swedish ice hockey team from Gävle. The club plays in the highest Swedish league , and has done so since 1960.-History:...
, the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), paving the way for future generations of players. He was one of the premier defencemen of his era in the NHL, and was recognized for this by being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1996. Salming also played extensively for Sweden in international play. He was recognized for this by being selected to the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF) Centennial All-Star Team
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 selection was organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation and named in 2008...
.
Early life
Anders Börje Salming was born on April 17, 1951, in the village of Salmi, Jukkasjärvi församling, in KirunaKiruna
Kiruna is the northernmost city in Sweden, situated in Lapland province, with 18,154 inhabitants in 2005. It is the seat of Kiruna Municipality Kiruna (Northern Sami: Giron, Finnish: Kiiruna) is the northernmost city in Sweden, situated in Lapland province, with 18,154 inhabitants in 2005. It is...
near Torneträsk
Torneträsk
Torneträsk or Torne träsk is a lake in Kiruna Municipality, Lapland, Norrbotten County in Sweden, in the Scandinavian mountain range. Träsk is the local word for lake . It is the seventh largest lake in Sweden, with a total area of and a length of...
. His father Erland was of Saami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
origin, while his mother Karin was Swedish. His paternal grandfather Anders Nikolaus had the surname of Saari, but changed to Salming after the village that he and his father (Börje's great-grandfather) had built up. His father was a mineworker and died in an accident in the mine when Salming was 5 years old. He is proud of his Sami heritage, and wears a traditional Sami pewter bracelet.
He followed in his brothers footsteps playing ice hockey and also played hand ball.
Professional
Salming played with Kiruna AIF in Sweden's Division 2 from 1967–1970, before joining BrynäsBrynäs IF
Brynäs IF is a professional Swedish ice hockey team from Gävle. The club plays in the highest Swedish league , and has done so since 1960.-History:...
in the top division between 1970 and 1973. Brynäs won league championships in 1971 and 1972 with Salming on the squad. Salming was signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on May 12, 1973. Salming was not the Leafs target when they began scouting in Sweden, they were actually interested in Inge Hammarström
Inge Hammarström
Hans Inge Hammarström is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger who played six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues...
, but scout Gerry McNamara
Gerry McNamara
Gerry McNamara Sucks because he did not get drafted into the NBA.Gerry McNamara is a former American basketball player and current graduate assistant coach. He is a former guard for the Syracuse University men's team, from 2002 to 2006...
reported back positively on Salming after seeing him play.
Salming made his National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) debut with the Leafs at the beginning of the 1973–74 NHL season against the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
. After a 7–4 victory, Salming was named the best player of the game. At the end of the season, Salming had recorded 39 points.
Prior to Salming, the consensus in North American hockey circles was that European players lacked the toughness to play North American hockey, with those from Sweden even being referred to as "Swedish Chickens". However, Salming did much to permanently eradicate that reputation. He played 1148 regular games (1099 of them with the Leafs), 81 playoff games and scored 150 goals and 637 assists in the NHL.
Salming was named a First Team All-Star in 1977
1976-77 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
, and was selected to the Second Team in 1975
1974-75 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:Source: NHL.-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = PointsSource: NHL.-Leading goaltenders:...
, 1976
1975-76 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points-Leading goaltenders:Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes Played; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts-Debuts:The following is a list...
, 1978
1977-78 NHL season
Game 5 was Fred Shero's last game as head coach of the Flyers and Gerry Cheevers left the ice without shaking hands with any of the Flyers. -Finals:Boston Bruins vs...
, 1979
1978-79 NHL season
The 1978–79 NHL season was the 62nd season of the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals four games to one for their fourth Cup in a row...
and 1980
1979-80 NHL season
The 1979–80 NHL season was the 63rd season of the National Hockey League. This season saw the addition of four teams from the disbanded World Hockey Association as expansion franchises. The Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New England Whalers , and Quebec Nordiques joined the NHL, bringing the total...
. Salming spent 16 seasons with the Maple Leafs, recording 768 points (148 goals, 620 assists).
On November 26, 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
Gerard "Turk" Gallant is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former NHL player.Gallant was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, sixth round, one-hundred seventh overall....
of the Red Wings accidentally cut Salming's face with his skate blade. The injury required facial surgery and more than two hundred stitches to his face.
In 1989, after sixteen years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Borje signed as a free agent with the Red Wings, for whom he played one season to finish his career in the NHL. He completed his pro hockey career with AIK of the Swedish Elite League.
International
Salming was a fan favourite in Toronto. The peak of his popularity may have come during the 1976 Canada Cup1976 Canada Cup
The 1976 Canada Cup was an international ice hockey tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Quebec, Canada as well as in Philadelphia, United States. It was the first of five Canada Cup tournaments held between 1976 and 1991...
which was held at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
. When Team Sweden
Swedish national men's ice hockey team
The Swedish men's national ice hockey team, or Tre Kronor , as it is called in Sweden, is one of the most successful ice hockey teams in the world...
was playing against the United States, Salming received an extended standing ovation during player introductions. 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."
Suspension
On September 4, 1986, Salming was suspended by the NHL for the entire 1986–87 season for admitting in a newspaper interview that he had tried cocaine. However, Salming served just eight games of the suspension before being reinstated.Retirement
After the end of his active hockey career, Salming moved into the sports underwear business with his own brand Salming Underwear. In 2007, at age 56, he posed nude for acclaimed Swedish graffiti artist Johan A Wattberg to create 31 paintings that were initially exhibited in Sweden before going on permanent display at The SPORT Gallery in Toronto, Canada.Honours and awards
In 1996 he became the first Swedish hockey player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
. In 1998, he was ranked 74th on The Hockey News list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players, the highest-ranked player from Sweden.
On October 4, 2006, Salming's no. 21, along with Red Kelly
Red Kelly
Leonard Patrick "Red" Kelly, CM is a retired Canadian ice hockey player in the NHL. He played on more Stanley Cup winning teams than any player who never played for the Montreal Canadiens, and is the only player to be part of two of the nine dynasties recognized by the NHL in its history...
's and Hap Day
Hap Day
Clarence Henry "Happy" Day , 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...
's no. 4, was honoured and raised to the top of the Air Canada Centre
Air Canada Centre
The Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose indoor sporting arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.The arena is popularly known as the ACC or the Hangar ....
by the Leafs in a ceremony before their first game of the 2006–07 season.
- Named to the All-Star Team at the World Ice Hockey Championships in 19731973 World Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 1973 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 40th Ice Hockey World Championships and the 51st European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in the Soviet Union from 31 March to 15 April and the games were played at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in the...
. - Named to the Swedish All-Star Team in 1973 and 1989.
- Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1980.
- Awarded the Viking AwardViking AwardThe Viking Award is awarded annually to the best Swedish ice hockey player in North America. The winner is decided by a vote among the players themselves. Only Mats Sundin has received the award four times. Peter Forsberg, Markus Näslund and Börje Salming have received it three...
(Best Swede in North America) in 1976, 1977 and 1979. - Awarded the Molson CupMolson CupThe 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 honours is presented with the Molson Cup...
(Most 3 Star Selections) in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1980. - Named to the Canada CupCanada Cup (ice hockey)The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
All-Star Team in 19761976 Canada CupThe 1976 Canada Cup was an international ice hockey tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Quebec, Canada as well as in Philadelphia, United States. It was the first of five Canada Cup tournaments held between 1976 and 1991...
. - Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1976, 1977 and 1978.
- Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1977.
- Winner of the Charlie Conacher Humanitarian AwardCharlie Conacher Humanitarian AwardThe Charlie Conacher Humanitarian Award was an award given to a National Hockey League player who made "outstanding contribution to humanitarian or community service projects"...
for the 1981–82 NHL season. - Played for Team NHL in the 1979 Challenge Cup1979 Challenge CupThe 1979 Challenge Cup was an international ice hockey series of games between the Soviet national ice hockey team and a team of all-stars from the National Hockey League, held in New York City. It replaced the NHL's all-star festivities for the 1978–79 NHL season.The Challenge Cup, unlike its...
. - Named to the IIHF Hall of FameIIHF Hall of FameThe IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
in 1998. - IIHF centennial All Stars team in 2008.
Records
- Holds 6 career and single season Toronto Maple Leaf records including most career points by a defenseman, most career goals by a defenceman, most career assists (any position), most assists in a season by a defenceman, and best career plus-minus.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1967–68 | Kiruna AIF | Swe-2 | 8 | - | - | - | - | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1968–69 | Kiruna AIF | Swe-2 | 13 | - | - | - | - | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1969–70 | Kiruna AIF | Swe-2 | 16 | 5 | - | 5 | - | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970–71 | Brynäs IF Brynäs IF Brynäs IF is a professional Swedish ice hockey team from Gävle. The club plays in the highest Swedish league , and has done so since 1960.-History:... |
Swe-1 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1971–72 | Brynäs IF | Swe-1 | 28 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972–73 | Brynäs IF | Swe-1 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973–74 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
76 | 5 | 34 | 39 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1974–75 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 60 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1975–76 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 78 | 16 | 41 | 57 | 70 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 9 | ||
| 1976–77 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 76 | 12 | 66 | 78 | 46 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 1977–78 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 16 | 60 | 76 | 70 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1978–79 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 78 | 17 | 56 | 73 | 76 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 1979–80 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 74 | 19 | 52 | 71 | 94 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 72 | 5 | 61 | 66 | 154 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 69 | 12 | 44 | 56 | 170 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 69 | 7 | 38 | 45 | 104 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 1983–84 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 68 | 5 | 38 | 43 | 192 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 73 | 6 | 33 | 39 | 176 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 41 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 48 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 14 | ||
| 1986–87 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 56 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 42 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | ||
| 1987–88 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 66 | 2 | 24 | 26 | 82 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1988–89 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 63 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 49 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | AIK | Elit Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
36 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | AIK | Elit | 38 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | AIK | Elit | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 17 seasons | Career totals | NHL | 1148 | 150 | 637 | 787 | 1344 | 81 | 12 | 37 | 49 | 91 | ||
International play
- Bronze medal at the World Championships in 19721972 World Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 1972 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 39th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Prague, Czechoslovakia from April 7 to April 22, 1972, and the Czechoslovakia national team won the tournament, the third time they had done so and first since 1949, ending...
. - Silver medal at the World Championships in 19731973 World Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 1973 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 40th Ice Hockey World Championships and the 51st European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in the Soviet Union from 31 March to 15 April and the games were played at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in the...
.