PHOTO: Bildbyrån
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Sweden.
Then they honor the club’s former player Börje Salming with a gesture of their own.
– They want to honor Börje Salming and learn more about Sami life, says Inger Axiö, chairman of Stockholm’s Sami association.
Börje Salming played in the Toronto Maple Leafs for 16 seasons and made a total of over 1000 games for the club. With his over 780 points, he is Toronto’s all-time leading point guard.
Tavares tribute
Salming was from Salmi in Jukkasjärvi parish in Kiruna. Last year, the former hockey player died of complications from ALS. He lived to be 71 years old.
Right now the Maple Leafs are in Sweden for the NHL Global Series. Together with the other NHL clubs Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators, they are in Stockholm for four games between Thursday and Sunday at Avicii Arena.
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On Tuesday evening, some of the Toronto players were present at the world premiere of the television series about Börje Salming, “Börje – The Journey of a Legend”. One of them was the team captain John Tavareswhich celebrates the series.
– It was fantastic, a really good evening. I got a good insight into his journey, background and the big impact he left on Toronto. It was phenomenal to see all the love and admiration for him here in Sweden. One of the greatest in the Maple Leafs and it was cool to learn more about his greatness in Sweden, says Tavares at a press conference.
Nice gesture
The series is partly about the hatred Salming and his family had to endure as Sami while growing up. Before the visit to Sweden, Toronto therefore contacted Stockholm’s Sami association, as they want to learn more about Salming’s Sami heritage, SVT reports.
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During Thursday, some of the players plan to meet representatives from the Sami association at the Canadian embassy.
– They want to honor Börje Salming and learn more about Sami life. We will talk about Sami culture, what problems the Sami as an indigenous people have in Sweden today, the green transition and a lot of other things, says Stockholm’s Sami association chairman Inger Axiö to SVT.
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