Hockey Hall of Famer Borje Salming passes away after fight with ALS

Borje Salming, a Toronto Maple Leafs legend and a Hockey Hall of Fame member, has passed away at the age of 71.

Salming was diagnosed with ALS in July before revealing it publicly in August. He lost his ability to speak in October as his health continued to decline.

Boasting the nickname ‘The King,’ Salming was one of the first NHL stars to come out of Europe, helping to set a pathway for more to move over. Salming made his NHL debut with Toronto in 1973 and went on to become one of the best players in league history, holding the team record for assists to this very day. He had 787 points in 1,148 regular season games to go with 1,344 penalty minutes.

Salming played his final NHL season with the Detroit Red Wings in 1989-90 before spending the final three years of his career with AIK IF back home. He was also a stalwart with Sweden’s men’s team, playing in three Canada Cups and winning multiple medals at the World Hockey Championship. Salming capped off his international career by leading all defensemen in scoring at the 1992 Olympics in his second year away from the NHL.

Salming became the first Swedish player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996. He was included in the IIHF Hall of Fame two years later and was named a member of the IIHF’s Centennial All-Star team in 2008. The NHL named Salming to the league’s 100 Greatest Players list in 2017 as part of the NHL’s 100th anniversary.

Salming was recently honored by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the annual HHOF game on Nov. 11 before getting a special celebration again the following evening. The Leafs used a starting lineup consisting of six Swedish players in honor of Salming, whose No. 21 has hung in the rafters since 2017 after the club retired his number.

“The Toronto Maple Leafs mourn the loss of Börje Salming,” Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement. “Börje was a pioneer of the game and an icon with an unbreakable spirit and unquestioned toughness. He helped open the door for Europeans in the NHL and defined himself through his play on the ice and through his contributions to the community. Börje joined the Maple Leafs 50 years ago and will forever be a part of our hockey family. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Pia, his children Theresa, Anders, Rasmus, Bianca, Lisa and Sara and brother Stieg.”