Watch as the Toronto Maple Leafs present legendary defenceman Borje Salming with a touching tribute video, then Salming drops the puck ahead of a tilt between the Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks.
My father died from ALS exactly two years ago. Seeing Borje crying at center ice, not able to speak, knowing deep down what's coming for him, it absolutly crushed me. Brought me back to seeing my father chocking on every sip of thickened water he dranked... I wish Borje and is family lots of courage for the road ahead. And lots of hugs to anyone who has lost closed one to this terrible condition...
Huge respect from Finland to Börje Salming. It's hard to believe he's gone but I'm so glad he was able to receive this honor just before he passed away. Hugs to his nation Sweden and his second home (Toronto)
Respect to you sir from the other side of Östersjön. We may hate each other at times when it comes to hockey games between our nations but when it comes to humanity we will always be brothers! Swe&Fin
He was a trailblazer. When all is said and done, it's thanks to his pioneering work that we've had players like Selänne, Kurri and Koivu. Må han vila i frid.
I was diagnosed with ALS in January. I'm only 43. It is a totally devastating disease. A year ago I was at work, at a very physical job, when I started having pains in my hamstring. I thought it was just a work injury. I had to leave work early and went to see a doctor for testing. I went for the results by myself thinking it was just a pulled hamstring and ankle injury, that's when they told me it was ALS and statistically I had 2 years left. I'm now mostly bound to a wheelchair. I'm in pain constantly and worst of all I have to figure out how to tell my 6 year old son that daddy won't be around much longer. I know what Borje and his family went through and I'm so sorry it has to happen to anyone.
I'm so sorry to hear that Michael! Stay strong and hopefully you get all the love you deserve 🥺♥️ I can't imagine how horrible it is to go through such a horrible disease. I'll say it again, stay strong 🙏♥️
As a Black kid growing up in Western NY in the 70s I was introduced to hockey. What a privilege it was to have seen Borje Salming bring finesse of European hockey to North America. He took alot from the goons not only from Philadelphia but Boston and other teams. I am 59 years old now and was blessed to see the transformation of such a wonderful sport which Borje played a major part. This was a great tribute may Yah (God) bless you and your family!
Well said sir, well said. Not too many north Americans can like he did, was one of my faves as well. Bobby Orr, Paul Coffee, and Mr Salming. OK Denis Potvin gets a nod as well. What a player what a gentleman, God bless him and his family.
michael nylander knows borje and borje has been very supportive of nylander ever since he was drafted. he's kind of a mentor like sundin is to nylander.
Börje hade sort of a tradition to take talented players from sweden under his wings, most if not every player in sweden have meet him and alot of them have gone to dinner whit him and have had his support from when they were 16 years old, he is a Icon, he is what every star athlete should be a mentor role model and a Great guy.
Börje was more or less the grandfather of all Swedish hockey players who got to the NHL. There was also a gala in Sweden not many days after this honor was given to Börje in Toronto, at that Gala so was all the big names saluting him and showing the love he had from entire Swedish hockey. The clip above is from 13th of November, he was then given awards and love from Swedish hockey on the 17th of November and passed on the 24th.
You're right. It doesn't matter which team you go for, moments like these are truly special. I'm a bruins fan but Salming was indeed one of the greatest and toughest to ever play the game.
This was very well done by the leafs! Beautifully honored an amazing player and person. Also kudos to Keefe for playing all the 6 maple leaf swedes in the first shift!
I had the honor of meeting Toronto Maple🍁Leaf great #21 Borjé Salming in Windsor,Ontario, Canada at a new chain of “auto part” stores across Canada & the line up was wrapped right around the store & then some. Borjé was so so kind & signed my Leafs jersey & took a picture with me. He honestly looked like he could still play in the NHL & he looked so vibrant & happy & this was in around 2003-2004. ~ God Bless You #21 Borjé Salming ~
I will never forget this video. In 2022, when börje got sick i traveled to lithuania. Me and me friends had a blast there. But this video popped up, this truly felt like the most powerful thing i ever watched. 1 month later and he was gone. As a swede, this is powerful to Watch. Vila i frid Börje 🙏🏻
I was holding it together pretty well until Borje was overcome by emotion at center ice. The courage this man has shown both as a young European player in the NHL and as a victim of ALS is absolutely humbling. My thoughts and prayers to "The King" and his family.
This brings tears to my eyes. As a swede I couldn't be more proud to have someone like Börje to represent us. What a great athlete! Rip, Börje! Sov gott, Börje! Tänk så många knattar som har börjat spela hockey på grund av dig.
I had a lot of tears too seeing that and i can tell you being from Montreal , the enemy of the Leafs , that as a human being i coulld't be more proud to have someone like Bôrje to represent us. That's how big he was to everyone involved in hockey...
The most emotional moment I’ve ever seen in hockey. You can’t help but be overcome by the love of the Toronto fans for Borje and tragedy of this evil disease all hitting him at once. Having never been to Toronto I can still feel the passion of these fans and I’m truly impressed. The red eyes of that young Canucks player says it all for us.
@@likeabosspp813 You are contradicting yourself. You just wished for the blessings of a deity yet you claim that you don't follow any deity? How can you be this confused?
@@incumbentvinyl9291 Can’t see why you are focusing on this when I’m just sad that a legend is slowly dying in a horrible way. Shows more about you than me I think😊
As a lifelong Leafs fan, I watched Salming from his first game to his retirement. Impossible to watch this without tearing up. The tribute showed what sport should always be about. All the best, Borje, for whatever lies ahead, and thank you.
I'm a Swedish-Canadian guy who was in high school in Toronto when Börje Salming and Inge Hammarström came over. I remember being half-tackled in the hallway of the school by a guy I really didn't know, who hissed "chicken-sh*t Swede" and then continued on his way. Several months later, I was walking home from school and happened upon some kids playing street hockey. One guy threw himself along the ashfalt to block a shot and triumphantly yelled: "I'm pulling a Boouurgeee..." The tide had turned.
This clip is so painful to watch. As a swede, Börje obviously is a hero, but more important to me, I lost my father last year, and watching Börje fighting ALS and knowing he is gonna lose his battle within months is so painful... You could see in the clip how emotional Oliver and William was. Darryl Sittler was clearly fighting his emotions too. He was captain back in the days when Börje played.
Darryl has been reportedly visiting borje almost daily for the last few months to try and help lift his spirits in his ailing health. The hall of fame ceremony the night before was just as emotional
As a Canadian and a life long Leafs fan, I unfortunately missed most of Borje's career. But I did have Sundin, who thanks to Borje became the quintessential Leafs captain and one of my all-time favorite players. Later I would go back and see just how important Borje was not only to the Leafs, but to the sport of hockey itself.
As a young boy born in 1970 and growing up in Saskatchewan, he was one of the very first players I began to pretend to be playing street hockey and on the outdoor rinks. We would call our own games while playing. “And Salming gets the puck on the point, he fakes … he shoots …HE SCORES!!! I cried through this.
He did get to live through it just without his words. Still got to feel all the feelings and use his eyes and still have most of his brain. I really hope he lives long and gets his speech back.
As i know, Saskatchewan is the great Bryan Trotier homecity... I am from Russia, but i like NHL and i was fan from that great players, like Lafleur, Savar, Cournoie, Mahowlich, Esposito Phil, others from team72. I always liked Canadians, TML and Jets, but not Flyers vs their dirty game. And Borje Salming was one of the brave and intellectual players vs high moral principes on ice... God bless all of them, and Perro, Gilles, Dionne, MacCenzy, Coffee, Bossy-- i like all of them...
RIP Borje ....So very fitting and heartwarming that he was able in his final days to be a part of this tribute. I heard Darryl Sittler say that he heard from Salming's family that this was his happiest day since his diagnosis with ALS. Wow so good to hear!
Cried all the way through the ceremony, so proud of the Leaf coach, playing all 6 Swedish players as starting line, seeing my hero Darryl Sittler crying and thanks for Hockey and the Canadian game
Love seeing Darryl care so much for Borge im sure he appreciates such concern and love from friends. I really hope he gets his speech back. Has that ever happened in past with others?
@@loopyu2y I don't think so. I'm not a doctor but a health care professional who's cared for someone with ALS. It's degenerative. Bottom line, not likely, you don't get better. You have good days and bad days. Heart breaking to watch let me tell you.
It hurts to see him cry as we all know he just want to speak but is unable to at this time because of the ALS. Knowing as he is soon to be a world wide legend is scarry as you want him to stay for longer
As a Torontonian who moved to Sweden, this impacts me in ways for which I lack words. Börje, our memories of you will live on and you'll have a place in the hearts of hockey fans the world over.
Can't imagine someone not liking him, i watched his whole career and he always played hockey like it should be played, a credit to hockey and humanity, my prayers to you and your family
Not only that, he had a profound impact on Swedes and Europeans in general in the NHL. Without him the league wouldn’t be what it is today. God Bless Börje.
Emotionellt tufft och svårt att se en av våra hjältar, i detta skicket😢❤ Det har gått så fort, från att vi fick veta om tillståndet till att se han försämras varje vecka. Så fint gjort av Leafs och NHL hall of fame.❤
Börje Salming, one of the greatest Swedish athletes of all time, he was from my own home town of Kiruna, a tiny mountain town with a population of less than 20 thousand. Your jersey hangs proudly in both the Hockey Hall of Fame as well as Matojärvi Ice Hall, where you started you career, certainly not as illustrious but nonetheless a symbol of our reverence for the man who put Swedish ice hockey on the map. R.I.P. Börje
The Leafs really shows that they are a true hockey family. What a tribute the paid to Börje. They didn't stop at this, they really went out of their way to make sure that he had the chance to take part of their appreciation. Massive props to the Toronto Maple Leafs organisation. You guys absolutely wrote the book on how to honour your legends!
My dad is battling ALS right now and as much as this video hurt to watch it was heartwarming to see the amount of love he received! Truly deserved even when he passes his name will live forever ❤
We never got to really see Börje play on swedish TV. It was before the cable tv era. Canada Cup was the first time we saw him on TV. After that he became godly in Sweden. We also never fully understood how big he was in TO. Amazing.
At least we could watch him in our national team. And if I don't remember it wrong we could see some of him playing for the Leafs in the daily sports programs on SVT. Cuz I know I have seen him playing with the blue and white jersey on tv. Even if it was black and white on the tv. 😀
The past two days have been incredibly emotional at the Air Canada Centre. The sight of Darryl Sittler balling as he sees the love being given to Börje was just so powerful. It such an awful disease to attack such a beautiful man. One happier element was that three of the inductees are Swedish, a testament to thBörjee long term impact of Börje.
Прощай легенда, ты был для меня кумиром всей моей жизни , первый раз увидела тебя в 1973 году по телевизору шел чемпионат мира в Москве, ты был абсолютный мужчина, бог, король, нереально мужественный и благородный. Земля пухом.. Ты будешь в самом лучшем из миров, я уверена.
I've seen many tributes throughout the years but this one especially gave me goosebumps. I was sad at first because I remember Borje as a kid. He was my favorite Leaf though I wasn't a Leaf fan. I had all his cards and I loved the way he played. It's tough to see the people you loved growing in these types of conditions, but we have to be grateful for what they gave us and grateful for life in general because it really is short.
As a nursing employee, I always get choked up in my daily work in my meetings with people who are affected by ALS: The only illness that I do not accept that it is around us, heartbreaking, senseless and so frustrating. Thank you Toronto, your presence gives meaning and strength to Borje and at the same time support to those close to him. I still remember the Canada Cup in 1976 as a nine-year-old toddler, magic…
Tack för allt Börje. Sveriges största genom tiderna och älskad utav alla. Att åka hela vägen till Canada för denna hyllning i hans skick bevisar vilken sorts person han var! Finaste hyllning jag sett. R.I.P Börje Salming.❤
REST IN PEACE. I can’t stop the tears coming! I’m a Swedish born Canadian, a proud member of Leafs Nation. All love and respect to you, Borje. Godspeed. ❤
Amazing that he did this trip and was payed such a great tribute in Canada as well as in Sweden just a week ago. All this before passing away today 11 days later. Most people are payed tributes after their death, so glad he was there is person. Rest in peace Börje ❤️
Vi,Svenskar, Vi saknar Dig Börje Salming, Du var och är en sann MÄNNISKA, en som lever som han lärde. Vi får aldrig någonsin En sån personlighet, som Du är!!!!
I’m a huge Leafs fan, never saw him play but heard and watched highlights of him. He was one of my uncle’s favourite players. Whether you’re a Leaf fan or not it doesn’t matter, being human how does this not move you?. Leafs usually do corny video tributes but this one is a grand slam. I’m in tears. God bless you Borje!!! Warrior for life!!
It was amazing growing up and watching Salming . Playing road hockey in those days everyone was Sitler,Lanny,Salming and Mike Palmater!. Those were the great days of hockey….. Car !!!!
I just heard the sad news that Börje Salming past away. Thank you for all great memories. You always played 100% and with always high standard. We will never ever forget you. Rip
Without throwing a punch, he was the toughest hockey player to ever play. From day one, he was a target of every team he ever faced. Cheap shots, slashing, boarding, elbows, cross checks. He took it all, he blocked shots like no other. Clark, Schultz, Probert, they were all tough, but Salming endured them every shift, every minute, of every game. R.I.P. Borje, you deserve it.
This was so beautiful. He actually got this amazing gift of being honored by so many people who showed their appreciation and love for him before his life ended. The ultimate farewell to someone once so strong and great. ❤️
I'm not crying, you're crying 🥺 Without watching that man play I know deep in my heart he was an absolute legend for the Leafs. From Leafs Nation, thank you Borje Salming 👍GLG
Humble, kind, skilled, and a warrior, who never stopps fighting. One of the greatest, in hockey and in life, with the biggest of hearts. We love you, Börje. There is no one like you.
He looks like a player that was never satisfied. Even if he scored he would go to bench and shake his head wanting to do more. Im 37 and former player so I can see a little more than the avg eye. He was a trooper and it showed at least to me. And the big scar would be a given to anyone.
Impossible to not watch this and bawl my eyes out. Bless your soul, Mr. Salming. Thank you to the Leafs organization for putting all of this together. There are so many things in life bigger than hockey, and I think it's amazing to see everyone coming together to pay tribute to Mr. Salming, as sad as the circumstances are.
Borje Salming was my childhood growing up. Every Saturday night was Hockey night with Pizza. Toronto was and still my favourite team. Goodbye Sir. Love you.❤️
My very good friend died of this horrible affliction. Thank you Leafs for this tribute to the great Salming This Man was the face of the Leafs along with Sittler in the 70s as we all now a low point in the Leafs era Bless you Borje
life is so unfair. this man was the epitome of fitness but this damn disease can take anyone as a prisoner. you were part of my childhood and Saturday nights was spent watching Salming teaching the nhl a new way to play hockey
I still crying at this video 📹 📹 spent my upgrade with him and played hard on that Small ice we had back then in Kiruna - then he left to his amazing life..well we all know today what was of sorts
I just lost my dad a few days ago from ALS. My dad was a massive Leafs and Blue Jay's fan, I walked by the rogers center, and Scotiabank just retraced the footsteps I took with him. When I was younger and went to those games I had sit down on the stairs just outside the rogers center and just had a moment to think of the memories of him and the good times I had with him watching the leafs and jays
This was just all class, mixed with dignity and true emotion. I love the way Canadian's honor and respect their greats. I cried i hardly ever do..thank you Leafs.
Tears of Joy came to my eyes, As a Toronto Boy growing up to Borja , Sitler , MacDonald and yes Shack. He is one of the true Legends of the LEAFS . God bless this man for being a legand of Toronto hockey and a true GENTELMAN . Thank you Borje Salming .
Seeing Sittler cry got me in the feels. RIP to a legend, i grew up watching him play and it was amazing. Godspeed Mr. Salming and save me a seat up there.
In Montreal we take great pride in our ceremonies and put great effort to do them better than anywhere else. I'd say this was absolutely stellar, world class level. Well done , and high praises to both the organization and the fans. Had me all choked up.
I remember hearing Borje at a swedish radiochannel a few years back and he got the question about how he wanted to die, And he said he wanted to encounter a bear in the forest.. It says alot about what kind of man he is..
Fuckn eh I love our sport, no matter who you cheer for a legend is a legend and it's heart breaking to have to see one go through this. Much love and respect to Borje and the Leafs from a Devils fan.
He was a beast. An athlete. Took all the nastiness thrown at him physically and verbally in the NHL and fought back HARD! He paved the way as a true representative of European talent. He endured Ballard, like the rest of the talent, yet played hard and reached the pinnacle of historic players. Much love, Borje.
I've seen this video at least 10 times. I was fortunate to meet Börje several times tho I didn't speak to him much. Yesterday my grandmother past in ALS, and now I find myself here again.
It hurts so bad to see Börje this sick but at the same time its a very nice gesture from Leafs and Im sure Börje was happy in the moment. A big honor to Börje, Leafs and a the victims across the world who suffers from ALS, its a brutal disease and I wish for a breakthrough in medication.
I cried when they gave him the puck and he was so excited to get close to the game he loved. Truly the greatest Leaf who endured the Broad Street Bullies and came out as a champ.
As a Swede I sometimes think Canadians play a brutal hockey, but they know how to honor their heroes. So much love, so much respect. My tears are falling 😢❤
My youngest brother succumbed to this horrible disease. It is absolutely heart breaking for loved ones to watch someone battle it. I can relate with the Salming family, I send my love and prayers. God bless you Borje, Leaf nation and in fact all true hockey fans that had the pleasure of watching you play wish you and your family love and peace always.
As a Canadian living in the UK all these years this brought back memories of going to see the Leaf's games at Maple Leaf Gardens and watching on TV. It seemed that no game back then wasn't complete if Borje Salming wasn't playing. A true gentleman, hockey player and legend. Thank you and god bless.
That was so hard for me to watch. I'm 53 years old and i remember how good he was, and i could not stop the tears from rolling down my checks after i seen him cry and how much it really meant to him. God speed Borje God speed!
Most emotional NHL player tribute I have ever watched. I was fortunate enough to be able to watch Borje Salming play for the Leafs for his final 9 seasons with the team and he was always such a warrior... so to see him looking so frail, due to age and also Lou Gehrig's disease, to see him get so emotional to a standing ovation, with Daryl Sittler and Kyle Dubas in tears.... I was too. Now THAT, was a great tribute night and I'm glad the boys went out and found a way to stay in the game and win it. #BorjeSalmingLEGEND
Im a sens fan, and always will be, but Börje Salming did a very important thing. Without you, mr Salming, my team may never have seen 2 of our greatest players in alfredsson and karlsson. We owe you a debt of gratitude for that, thank you. Hurts me to do this, but i guess just this once: go leafs, go!
@@polishpat95 There werent many Swedes getting attention until Borje did what he did which in turn inspired both players growing up and scouts going to Sweden.
@@polishpat95 L comment, it doesn’t mean birthing them, he’s literally one of the first Swedish nhl players who put Swedish hockey on the map. It’s called influence. Jesus Christ I can’t believe how many arrogant clowns we have in this world, making comments like that. Went way over your head bud
@@polishpat95 Dude, you’re such a tool. I’d explain to you why he was the perfect example to NHL scouts as to how good Swedish players were/are but, I’m certain that would just go right over your head like everything else in your pathetic life has. Okay, now back under your bridge, troll.
