With Borje Salming in Town, Maple Leafs Aim to Honor the ‘King’ This Weekend
Borje #Borje
The Hockey Hall of Famer is in Toronto as part of the Hall of Fame festivities this weekend. In Canada to receive treatment in his battle with ALS, the Maple Leafs talk about the impact he’s had on the club.
Borje Salming’s impact on the game of hockey is immeasurable, but it’s his continued connection to the Toronto Maple Leafs that continues to be a part of the Swedish defenseman’s legacy.
It’s tough and everyone supports him,” Rasmus Sandin said of Salming. “It’s really great to have him in Toronto right now.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs legend and Hockey Hall-of-Famer is currently battling ALS. With his symptoms getting worse and left unable to speak and swallow food, he touched down in the city this week with the main mission of getting proper treatment for his symptoms. Initial efforts to receive treatment in Sweden when attempts by his family to bring medication home were turned away by Swedish customs.
While in Toronto, the plan is for Salming to be honored ahead of both Maple Leafs games this weekend, beginning Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of Hall-of-Fame festivities. On the second night against the Vancouver Canucks, Salming is set to be honored individually.
“It’s going to be unbelievable,” Mark Giordano said.
In addition to becoming a trailblazer for Swedes and Europeans when he broke out onto the NHL scene back in 1973, it’s Salming’s continuing commitment to the club that has stood out with multiple generations of Maple Leafs.
“It’s very clear to me that he’s a proud Maple Leaf,” Sheldon Keefe said. “I was young through a lot of his career and a lot of it before I was even born but you still feel his impact, even more so now in my current role.”
He helped Mats Sundin along when he became a member of the Maple Leafs back in 1994. In 2018, Salming invited Rasmus Sandin and his father, Patric, for lunch shortly after Rasmus was drafted
“He was my dad’s idol,” Sandin recalled. “I think he was more nervous than me.”
There wasn’t any advice given to the player other than to watch out for the Toronto media, but it’s that immediate connection that Sandin remembers most about the meeting.
Sandin is one of several Swedish players on the Maple Leafs’ active roster.
Salming’s scheduled appearances at Scotiabank Arena are subject to how the legend is feeling.
“He’s in a big fight right now and all of our thoughts and our support are with him,” Maple Leafs captain John Tavares said.