Börje Salming is mourned by a whole hockey world.
Now the archbus Tie Domi asserts:
– He will always be the King.
Börje Salming has fought a tough battle against ALS, and during the autumn the family spoke openly and emotionally about the setbacks. Towards the end, Salming had trouble walking, he couldn’t talk, and he needed tube feeding. On Thursday, the news came that he had passed away, aged 71.
Highly praised
The tributes from the hockey world have been enormous. In Toronto, Salming is canonized, and his greatness in Sweden cannot be underestimated. During all SHL matches on Thursday, a minute’s silence was held before the second period, and many profiles and legends have sent their thoughts and condolences. Börje Salming is one of our greatest athletes ever, and there is not a single person who can say a bad word about him.
When Börje Salming came to Toronto in the early 70s, there was hardly a European there. Salming was called the Chicken Swede, but it wasn’t long before he proved himself to be one of the toughest and bravest to ever play in the league. Now the tributes are pouring in from the NHL legends. Many call Börje Salming their big idol, and so does Tie Domi.
READ MORE: William Nylander’s fine tribute to Börje Salming – the words about the shock message: “It’s hard to take in…”
“Will always be the King”
Tie Domi is one of the classic arch-rookies of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was Mats Sundin’s protector during the glory days in the NHL, and one of the most expelled players ever. On Instagram, he now gives a powerful tribute to Salming, and at the same time states that the Swede is “king forever”.
“Börje Salming was the King and will always be the King. My deepest condolences to Börje’s family, friends and fans. You will be missed Börje, but we will never forget you,” he writes.
For the picture, Domi has a slide show with pictures of Börje and Domi together. On Instagram Stories, Domi has also posted a picture of Börje, with the text: “We will miss you, Börje”.
READ MORE: Icon and close friend Darryl Sittler’s heartbreaking words about Börje Salming: “He is in my heart forever”