Rigamarole - A Foot In The Crease - Episode 2.5

www.afootinthecrease.com

Thirty three years ago when Borje Salming made the trek across the Atlantic to suit up in for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was a ground breaking moment to the National Hockey League on a level close to that of Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier in Major League Baseball back in 1947. Never before had a European player of any significance competed in the NHL with the impact Salming had both on the Leafs and the league itself.

Focusing on skill and ability alone, Salming was one of the greatest ever to put on a Leaf jersey. Both offensively gifted and defensively sound, Salming played 16 seasons on the Leaf blueline concluding his NHL career in 1990. He finished with some lofty records. All time highest scoring Leaf defenseman. All time highest Leaf assist total. Third all time in Leaf games played. Fifth all time in Leaf penalty minutes. He was the first Swede to be inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Salming really did do it all. Offense, defense, longevity, toughness. Perhaps his penalty minute total is a bit of a surprise but that was due to the ugly aspect of his emergence into the league. Many North American players worried that with Salming paving the way, more Scandinavian and European stars would make their way across the ocean and begin taking their jobs away. Salming was portrayed as a “Chicken Swede” and forced to take on some of the toughest enforcers in the game. Through it all, Salming never backed down and eventually was given the respect and credit he deserved.

Leadership was another area Salming excelled in. When offered the Leaf Captaincy, Salming turned it down, a decision he would end up regretting. When Mats Sundin faced the same decision Salming did, Sundin consulted his countryman. Salming told him not to make the same mistake he did. Now along with Sundin, there are five other Swedish captains.

When Salming’s banner was raised to the rafters at ACC prior to the season opener, he finally received the recognition he has so richly deserved. But hey, all that was just rigamarole.