Question about Börje Salming.

[nhr57]

I have recently (last 2 years) started liking hockey (being from stockholm, sweden where soccer/football is the only sport worth while).

But I have now noticed that I have missed out on life.


So enough of my life story, I have read up abit on hockey history but because I missed alot I don't have any first hand experience, so I would like to hear from some of you "oldies" about your experience with Börje Salming.


How good he was, comparables with players today, what kind of hockey player he was, what kind of person he was, just anything you can say about him


Thanks in advance

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[Steelhead16]

He would be on my All Time team. The don't call you "The King" of anything unless you earn it. I tried to pattern my game after his. He could play offense when needed, defense when needed and have some nasty. He holds a bunch of team records for an original 6 team.
If I had to compare (which is hard to do with any Hall of Famer) I would go with Ray Bourque. Both thought more about offensively first by fans but could play great defensively as well. He was an awesome shot blocker.
He was one of the first European success stories in the North American game and he opened the door for more Europeans to come to North America.
His cocaine suspension was a blemish on a great career but it was still a great career. But he manned up and it was quickly over and behind him.

 

[Boxscore]

nhr,

You may want to purchase this book. Great read about Salming. Will give you tons of info...

Borje Salming Book: Blood, Sweat and Hockey

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Here's a relatively long article about Borje from the Hall of Fame website:

http://www.hhof.com/legendsofhockey/html/spot_oneononep199602.htm

There's also this strange (but fun and educational) game that the hockey history buffs play called the All Time Draft. Anyway, Salming is one of my players and I made a profile of him that contains information from a variety of sources. Might be interesting:

http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=23945193&postcount=14

Obviously, none of this will be even as close to in-depth as the book in the post above.

 

[Big Phil]

Salming was a great defenseman. On an all-time list I think you'd find him at 20-25 for defensemen.

 

[njdevils1982]

He would be on my All Time team. The don't call you "The King" of anything unless you earn it. .................

sorry to be off topic.....but what has henrik lundqvist earned to get the same nickname? or richard brodeur?

both seem more like nicknames based upon their given names.

 

[Steelhead16]

sorry to be off topic.....but what has henrik lundqvist earned to get the same nickname? or richard brodeur?

both seem more like nicknames based upon their given names.

Correct. They are playing off of King Henry and King Richard (better than Dricky Dick) . Salming is just THE King.

 

[therealkoho]

As a Leaf fan who is approaching his due date, I had the pleasure of seeing Salmings career from start to finish. He is in my mind the second best Leaf defenceman to Tim Horton I ever saw play in the B&W.

IMO he was the most gifted offensively of any Leafs Dman in my time, he ran the PP and had a highly accurate shot. His passing was as smooth as Kaberle's to be sure.

His game however did not end there, Salming was highly disciplined in his own end and was solid defensively. He was not a huge hitter by any means but he was as tough as nails, he gave no quarter and asked none. Salming was also an exceptional skater as most great defenceman are.

his nickname "The King" comes from inside the locker room and thats as far as I'll go with the anecdote I heard from a former Leaf years ago.

 

[Hawker14]

As a hater of all things Maple Leaf, I gleefully bring up the "cocaine issues and resulting suspension" !

But yeah, he was a great player.

 

[therealkoho]

As a hater of all things Maple Leaf, I gleefully bring up the "cocaine issues and resulting suspension" !

But yeah, he was a great player.

ahh the 70's, 80's and 90's were crazy days weren't they

Many many stories like that all around the league at the time, but it's long ago and in the past where it should stay

 

[Heat McManus]

As a hater of all things Maple Leaf, I gleefully bring up the "cocaine issues and resulting suspension" !

But yeah, he was a great player.

i'm sure he was the only one doing cocaine in the 70s and 80s. Only one.

You're a 'Hawks fan, huh? *cough* PROBERT *cough*