Last night it was time for Toronto’s big tribute to its hero Börje Salming.
“The Kings” entire family was on the ice to feel the love and warmth of all Toronto Maple Leafs fans.
On the night of Saturday, Börje Salming was part of the Hockey Hall of Fame ceremony that takes place annually in Toronto. It was an extremely emotional night for all involved, as Salming took to the ice with the help of former teammate Darryl Sittler and former Toronto captain Mats Sundin.
New tribute
Last night, Toronto played again, against Vancouver, and the Maple Leafs took the opportunity with a new, tailored tribute to Börje Salming.
There were, of course, new emotional scenes when the club first showed a huge tribute film to Salming.
Afterwards, Salming’s entire family got to enter the ice and two Swedes, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and William Nylander were part of the “ceremonial puck drop” before the game.
Toronto won the match 3-2 and the team’s star players spoke afterwards about how taken they were during the weekend’s tributes to Salming.
– Tributes like this are really needed. Salming is a very special person and of course a special person for all of Toronto, says goal scorer Jordie Benn.
“Hit hard”
– Things like this hit hard. I think it made many of us gain some perspective, to have such a player here, who showed the way for the rest of us. It means a lot. And I think you noticed it in the audience here tonight, says superstar Auston Matthews.