A Tribute To The Late Borje Salming, The Leafs’ Most Dignified Superstar

Just two weeks ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs paid tribute to the career of Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Borje Salming with two nights where he made the trip from his native Sweden to Toronto to appear in person. It was an emotional period, as only a few months prior, Salming had disclosed he’d been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (or ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) – a devastating condition that cruelly punishes people and shortens life spans drastically.

However, although Salming was clearly laboring in his two nights at Scotiabank Arena, we didn’t see weakness from him. Rather, what we saw was the strength of character that so typified Salming’s time as a Maple Leaf and Toronto icon. He no longer could speak and was very emotional during the tributes to him, but he went out there determined to show his thanks for the love Torontonians showered him during his 16 years as a Leaf.

And on Thursday, less than two full weeks after his appearance, Salming died at age 71.

Even after seeing his condition, it was a shock to the mind and heart to think Salming passed so soon. However, nobody gets to author their own ending. Life is unfair. But, just as he showed us some 50 years ago that Europeans could thrive at the NHL level, Salming showed us in his final public act that we could take on whatever comes our way, and still battle hard to be the best we could be.

Because of that indomitable-but-friendly spirit, Salming was held in incredibly high regard by his teammates, friends and fans. You could see that in the face of fellow Leafs superstar Darryl Sittler, who broke down in tears during the first night of Salming’s two appearances. You could see it in the demeanors of the Swedish players – including Vancouver’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Toronto’s William Nylander – who took part in an opening faceoff ceremony with him. As Salming cried, you weren’t human if you didn’t want to put your arm around him and hope the pain he was enduring would come to an end.

But we didn’t want it this way, and certainly, not this soon. He may have been around Toronto for a half-century, but we weren’t ready to say goodbye to Salming. He was a part of the city not only as a hockey star, but as a philanthropist, as a pioneer for European players, as a neighbor, as a regular guy who had a highly irregular job.

That’s how we’ll choose to remember Salming. For many of us, he is the greatest Leaf we’ve ever seen play. He was smart, slippery, and tough as nails. He wasn’t going to take a backseat to bigots and xenophobes trying to circle the wagons around North American hockey. He was here to give as good as he got, and even as the Leafs turned into a full-on circus under infamous owner Harold Ballard, Salming never demanded to be traded; he was a Toronto lifer, and fans have never forgotten his loyalty.

Salming was one of those select few players who didn’t need a Cup win to confirm his greatness. Anyone who knew the game knew what a rare breed Salming really was as a player. And now, with his greatness gone, we can look back at the final chapter of his life as perhaps the most inspiring chapter of all. In the end, maintaining his dignity in the face of mountainous challenge was his most defining trait.

Thank you for everything, Borje. You’ll forever be this writer’s favorite Leaf, Sweden’s most famous athlete, and a shining star of a human being.