1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 22 Borje Salming Hockey Card (Front)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee 22 Borje Salming Hockey Card (Back)
1976-77 O-Pee-Chee NHL Checklist
Card Notes
Borje is a former member of the Swedish National Team, and has adapted to the North American style of play. A smooth skater and excellent puck handler.
En Français
Borje, une ancienne vedette de l’Equipe nationale de la Suède, s’est très bien adapté au style de jeu nord-américain. Il patine bien et il sait manier la rondelle.
Details
Borje Salming arrived on the NHL scene with a bang in 1973-74. From the blue line, he scored five goals and assisted on 34 for 39 points over 76 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Salming finished third in the voting for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year behind winner Denis Potvin and runner-up Tom Lysiak. He also was fifth in the voting for the Norris Trophy as top defenseman, an award that went to Bobby Orr.
Never a Norris winner, Borje was always in the running. In 1976-77 he had an extremely tight battle with Larry Robinson of the Montreal Canadiens. Robinson won the award with 40% of the votes while Salming was a close second with 34%.
He was selected a First Team All-Star once, in 1976-77. He was a Second Team selection five times. Between 1973-74 and 1989-90, Salming appeared in 1,148 regular season and 81 playoff games in the National Hockey League. The majority of his NHL career was with the Maple Leafs, along with 49 games with the Detroit Red Wings in his final season.
Borje was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996, the first Swedish born player to enter. Two years later, he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame. The Maple Leafs retired his jersey number 21 in 2006.