The Hub November 2022

By: Dave Scott

As a 7-year-old, it was my ritual to watch Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night (because that was the only night the game was on) at my grandmother's house (because she had a better aerial and could get CBC). It was the place to be!

That was the first time that I set my eyes on the smoothskating defenseman. He could feather a pass like no one in the league and had one of the most dangerous wrist shots I had ever seen. This guy would block shots, take a hit and play 40 minutes a game!

Borje Salming had it all. I didn't care where he came from, I just knew his skills were beyond most of the NHL players during that time.

There was something about his grit, that undeniable determination to do his best for his team in any situation. I imagine a lot of times he probably felt like dropping the gloves and sending a message, but I think he was bigger than that and he would let his game speak for him!

He never won Best Defenseman, which I think is a crime. At times he was all the Leafs had to rely on. I appreciated his drive to continue to play no matter what and just how tough he could be (remember the skate to the face?).

I found out later how much the other players in the league and the fans bullied both him and Inga Hammerstron, often calling them "Chicken Swedes". These two guys were the first from Sweden to play in the NHL and paved the way for so many from their country. They took a lot of abuse to play the

game they loved in the best league in the world!

In my eyes, Salming set the standard for all Swedish players. You had to be "Salming good" to play in the NHL!

This brings me to the present.

It was late morning, and I was trying to get organised for the September magazine. A message flashed across my screen from Sportsnet regarding Borje Salming. I opened the app and, to my disbelief, this is what I read:

"I have received news that has shaken my family and me," Salming wrote. "The signs that indicated that something was wrong in my body turned out to be the disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. In an instant, everything changed. I do not know how the days ahead will be, but I understand that there will be challenges greater than anything I have ever faced."

We all have our heroes in life, folks who mean just a little more, who have climbed that mountain, who make us believe it is possible, who play hard and fair and who never gave up…

Mr Salming, thank you and please, never give up!