Lions legend Veli-Pekka Ketola was saddened to receive the sad news of Börje Salming’s death.
– The two hardest hockey players I know are Börje Salming and Ulf NilssonKetola, 74, says.
– Both were beaten in every game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Thursday that Salming has died at the age of 71. The hockey legend, who was diagnosed with ALS last summer, represented Toronto for 16 seasons from 1973 to 1989 before ending his NHL career in 1989-90 with the Detroit Red Wings.
– Börje was one of the best NHL defensemen of that time. Hats off. I value a player as highly as you can, says Ketola.
– I have played against him, and all tricks have been tried, but it didn’t help terribly. Turpa came almost every time.
Ketola played against Salming, who represented Sweden, e.g. in the 1972 and -73 World Cups and in the Canada Cup in 1976 and 1981.
Veli-Pekka Ketola values Börje Salming highly. Tomi Natri / AOP
The legend of Pori is himself a pioneer of European hockey in North America, but he played 1974-77 for the NHL’s rival league, the WHA, before moving to the NHL for the 1981-82 season.
– Those games were watched a lot when he played in Änäri, Ketola says.
He emphasizes that the game was completely different from today.
– It was more wrestling than hockey. Börje had to take so much punishment counter that it was something incomprehensible. Today’s players can’t even imagine the mental and physical toughness that guy went through. He traveled such a path in the NHL that it was as bumpy as bumpy can be.
– That’s just how he got the job done and was a great fan favorite and the number one star in Toronto.
Tough character
Börje Salming played in the NHL legends match in Toronto in 2011. PDO
Ketola reminds us that the strength of Salming’s character was visible elsewhere than in the fact that the man did not back down in difficult situations.
– He was an unyielding fighter, blocked pucks and even took the puck in his mouth if the opportunity arose.
According to Ketola, Salming’s brilliance in terms of play was based on excellent passing skills, opening the game and shooting.
– He was really strong and skilled. All the elements were right, like physicality and good movement, and that self-sacrificing defending was admirable.
Goon culture
Another hard-tempered Swede mentioned by Ketola Ulf Nilsson was his teammate and star player with the Winnipeg Jets in the WHA.
– It was even worse there, Ketola says about the hardships of the first European players.
In the WHA, the goon culture was at its worst in the 1970s.
– Sometimes it was not clear whether it was a boxing or hockey match. It was really sick. Fortunately, the style has changed.