ROOKIE CARD NOSTALGIA #4

This week it is the Great and Mighty Borje Salming.
Damn, I used to have this card! Salming was my first hockey hero. I can remember watching Hockey Night in Canada as a kid in the late 70's, and seeing Salming break out of his zone with that burst of speed. He was a great powerplay quarterback, and made the great breakout passes out of his zone as well.

Salming changed the concept of how westerners viewed Swedish hockey players. We used to call them the 'Swedish Chickens.' But Salming was the first to prove us wrong. Mats Sundin called Salming a 'trailblazer for Swedish hockey players'

Salming was one of the first Swedes to play in the NHL. He was signed as a free agent in 1973 (out of Sweden. He is the first Swede to be inducted into the Hall of Fame..(like that Temujin??)

He played from 1973 to 1989. He finished his career with 1148 games played, 150 goals, 637 assists, and had 49 points in 81 playoff games for the Leafs.

In 1989 he was acquired by the Red Wings as a free agent, but only played 49 games with the Wings before retiring from the NHL. He then played three more years in Sweden with AIK Solna.

Funny Facts: *Salming has his own line of underwear called Salming Underwear! Oh Geeza!
*Apparently, Salming was also suspended during the 86/87 season for admitting he had tried cocaine 6 years earlier at a party. Borje.....deny deny deny!!!!