Legendary NHL defenceman Börje Salming has died at age 71 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
In a statement released on Thursday, Toronto Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan said the organization is mourning the loss of Salming.
“Börje was a pioneer of the game and an icon with an unbreakable spirit and unquestioned toughness,” Shanahan said. “(Salming) defined himself through his play on the ice and through his contributions to the community.”
Salming, nicknamed “The King,” was a trailblazer for future European players in the NHL after signing with the Leafs as a free agent ahead of the 1973-74 season. He quickly became a favourite for many, including long-time Leafs fan Richard Morris.
“I remember watching him when I was little and telling my parents that I wanted to be just like Börje when I grew up,” he said.
In August, the team announced Salming had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, deteriorating the motor neurons.
Earlier this month, Salming made the trip to Toronto during Hall of Fame weekend where he was honoured in an emotional video tribute in front of thousands of fans at the Scotiabank Arena prior to the Canucks-Leafs game on Nov.12.
Morris was in the building during the special moment.
“The vibes in the arena when he came out that night was just amazing” he said. “You could tell that he was respected and that he really made an impact from his time being on the team till now.”
He noted that the celebration means even more now after his passing.
“He got the recognition that he deserved and he was celebrated by the team and the fans, which now we know that in fact was his last goodbye to us,” Morris said.
The native of Kiruna, Sweden, went on to play 1,099 regular-season games with the Leafs, establishing team records for assists (620) and goals (148), points (768) and playoff points (49) by a defenceman leading him to become the first Swedish player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.
Young fans like Nicholas Walker never saw the defenceman play but knew how much of a loss this was to the hockey world.
“Even though he retired when I was still young, I recognize that he is and will always be a big part of the hockey community here in Canada,” Walker said.
“He will be dearly missed by the fans,” he said.