Börje Salming needed more than 200 stitches on her face

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November 26, 1986: Börje Salming – a trailblazer for NHL players in Europe and a legend in Toronto – needs more than 200 stitches in his face after an on-ice incident.

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1,229 NHL games, All-Star, Toronto Maple Leafs jersey No. 21: Börje Salming is considered one of the National Hockey League's greats, even if he doesn't have a Stanley Cup on his calling card.

This is especially true from a European perspective. The Swede moved to North America in 1973 at the age of 22 and is considered a pioneer there. The Europeans have a better profile “over there” thanks to Salmin's achievements as a defender who can tackle as well as make an impact in attack. Therefore, there are more and more opportunities to show yourself in the best ice hockey league in the world.

A Swedish hockey fan poses next to the Salmin statue in Toronto.Image source: imago sports photo service

“The cold steel scratched the skin.”

Börje Salming has been a living legend since his debut with the Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings on November 26, 1986. Toronto won 3-1 with no fewer than 124 penalty minutes. But this was not an act of aggression, but an unfortunate incident that resulted in Salmin being hospitalized.

In the chaos in front of Toronto's goal, opponent Gerard Gallant tackled Börje Salming. He hit the Swede in the face with the blade.

“The cold steel cut the skin above my right eye and then cut deep into my nose and the side of my face,” Salmin said. He even joked in an interview: “I think I'm lucky, my eyes are fine. But my face does not look good.”

As bad as it may seem, the consequences of the injury are not serious – a perfect example of the saying “the best of luck”. Sal knew it: “Move one centimeter in the other direction and my right eye would disappear. A few centimeters lower and the skate would hit my neck.”

In IIHF Team of the Century

This time the subjunctive is a good friend. Two weeks after the accident, Börje Salming returned to the ice and helped the team beat the Washington Capitals 8-2.

In 1996, the Swede was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, becoming the second European after Wladyslaw Trejak. Along with the legendary Soviet Russian goalkeeper, the defender is also one of six members of the IIHF World Association's Team of the Century.

A week after receiving the honor, Salmin passed away along with his wife Pia.Picture: www.imago-images.de

In the summer of 2022, his family announced that the former hockey star suffered from the incurable neurological disease ALS. A few months later, Börje Salming, who paved the way for many other Europeans to enter the NHL, died at the age of 71.