Börje Salming was the pioneer and trailblazer.
He who wrote history, who never backed down, who put Swedish hockey on the map.
And this is the proof of it.
It all started in the small village of Salmi in Jukkasjärvi, and then Kiruna, Gävle, Toronto and the world awaited. Börje Salming became one of the greatest hockey players of all time, and his legacy will never be forgotten. When Salming passed away earlier this winter, the entire hockey world mourned, and it’s easy to see why.
The trailblazer
Salming got his big break in Brynäs and he played so well that the NHL clubs fought for his signature. And it was not something that was common at this time. Europeans were not exactly common in the world’s best hockey league, and those who were there often returned home in a bad mood.
But Börje Salming was something else. He never backed down, always stood up for himself and his teammates, and wasn’t intimidated. He also had the skill needed to completely dominate, and that made him an icon in Toronto, and the world. Salming is classed as one of the best backs of all time, but he meant so much more than just that. Salming was the pioneer who paved the way for all Swedes in the NHL after him, and all Europeans for that matter.
READ MORE: Beautiful gesture to Börje Salming – now the Swedish celebrity elite is gathering for a nice tribute: “We are happy to be able to do it”
First European ever
As an example, Börje Salming wrote the most powerful in hockey history in 1976. The NHL’s All Star games have always been a spectacle, but until then it had only been a game between North American players. No one born outside the United States or Canada had been given the chance, until Salming. Salming was the first ever to break the all-North American dominance, when he was selected in the Wales Conference, in the 29th edition of the games.
Salming failed to make any major impact in the match, as he left the match both goalless and scoreless. It was far from Salming’s last All Star game, but he will forever be remembered as the first ever European, and the one who knocked down a wall, to say the least.
READ MORE: Beautiful memory of Börje Salming – son Anders reveals the fine tradition with the father: “Always laughter”