The King (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781668241189)

Vendor: Börje Salming
Product type: Books
Format: Hardcover
$23.00
$23.00
$23.00
Subtotal: $23.00
WR Book House

The King

$23.00

The King

$23.00
Format: Hardcover
Description
Description
x
The true story of how Börje Salming--The King--changed hockey forever, silencing critics, earning the respect of some of hockey's toughest competitors, and becoming one of the most influential players the game has ever known.

Börje Salming was more than a Toronto Maple Leafs legend--he was a trailblazer who transformed the NHL. As the first European player to establish himself as a true star in the league, Salming shattered long-held prejudices about European hockey players and paved the way for generations of international players. His success helped create opportunities for future stars such as Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg, and countless others who followed in his footsteps.

On the ice, Salming redefined what a defenceman could be. Combining elite offensive instincts with exceptional defensive skill, strength, and fearlessness, he brought a dynamic style to the position that influenced players for decades. Alongside Leafs greats Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald, and Mike Palmateer, Salming became the cornerstone of Toronto's exciting teams of the 1970s, making highlight-reel plays while never backing down from the physical battles that defined the era.

When Salming died of ALS in 2022, hockey lost not only an all-time great but also one of its most beloved ambassadors. Just weeks before his passing, he delivered a powerful and emotional farewell at Scotiabank Arena, raising his arm in defiance of his disease as Leafs Nation and fans around the world paid tribute to a living legend.

In The King, Salming shares his story in his trademark humble voice, with writer Ola Liljedahl. Filled with candid memories, behind-the-scenes stories, and reflections on a remarkable life, this is the definitive portrait of a player whose courage, talent, and character left an enduring mark on hockey and everyone who knew him.

Author: Börje Salming
ISBN-10: 1668241188
ISBN-13: 9781668241189
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Language: English
Published: 11/03/2026
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
By Börje Salming
By Börje Salming
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Börje Salming's decorated NHL career spanned seventeen seasons from 1973 to 1990 between Toronto and Detroit, with a resumé boasting 1,148 games and 787 points. A two-time runner-up for the Norris Trophy, Salming became the first Swedish-born player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 and two years later entered the IIHF Hall of Fame. The blueliner was an NHL first-team All-Star in 1977 and a five-time NHL second-team All-Star between 1975 and 1980. The Leafs retired his number in 2016. Salming died of ALS in 2022.

Ola Liljedahl is a Swedish freelance writer, columnist, and author.

Mats Sundin is the longest-serving captain not born in North America in NHL history. He enjoyed a prolific eighteen-season NHL career as well as a superb international career playing for Sweden, his homeland. When he was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, he became the first European-born player ever drafted first overall. The Nordiques traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the rest is hockey history. At the time of his retirement, Sundin stood as the Toronto Maple Leafs' all-time franchise leader in goals and points. A quiet leader, the durable Sundin is regarded as one of the finest Swedes to have played in the National Hockey League, and one of the greatest Toronto Maple Leafs of all time. He lives in Sweden and visits Toronto often.

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