Salming watch to honor legacy of Maple Leafs icon, raise money for charity

TORONTO -- The late Borje Salming would have been proud.

His four children certainly are.

On Thursday, daughters Teresa, Bianca and sons Anders and Rasmus joined NHL Alumni Association president Glenn Healy at the Hockey Hall of Fame to celebrate the legendary defensemen’s legacy and contribution to the sport.

Just steps from Borje’s plaque, which symbolized his induction to the Hall in 1996, they gathered for the unveiling of the Salming 1,148, a special watch paying tribute to the number of NHL games he played.

“It's an incredible feeling to be here in this incredible room, the Great Hall at the Hall of Fame, seeing all the images of these amazing players, and knowing my dad is one of them,” Anders Salming said, his eyes welling up with emotion. 

“We're just so happy to be able to be here and to try to carry on his legacy through this watch. And also his legacy of trying to return to the hockey community through us donating money from the from the watch to the NHL Alumni Association, specifically its related charities.

“This watch was a labor of love for my dad. He was already playing around with different designs for it before he got sick.”

The project began in 2018 with Borje and his longtime friend and entrepreneur Mats Kullenberg. The endeavor started with Salming doodling some designs on a blank piece of paper and had evolved into a tangible goal when he died on Nov. 24, 2022, just a few months after publicly announcing he had being diagnosed with ALS.

His children, along with Kullenberg, vowed to complete this labor of love Borje had started. Consider it done.

In honor of the number of NHL contests he suited up for in his illustrious career, only 1,148 limited editions of the watches were made. The hockey-themed timepiece features the CN Tower as a second hand, his signature on the back, his No. 21, and a King’s crown in recognition of both his native Sweden and his nickname during his playing days.

Kullenberg, CEO of Salming Watches, joined Salming’s kids to present the first numbered watch to Healy, who immediately donated it to the Hall to be displayed in a new showcase honoring Salming and the Salming Courage Award.

In 2023 the NHLAA created the annual award for the Europe-born NHL alumni who has been a positive influence in his community, and best embodied a lasting legacy of courage, bravery and dedication on and off the ice. The first three recipients were Hall of Famers Nicklas Lidstrom (2023), Jari Kurri (2024) and Mats Sundin (2025).

Salming, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 12, 1973, became the first player born and trained in Europe to skate in 1,000 NHL games, on Jan. 4, 1988. In 1996 he became the first NHL player from Europe to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Salming played 16 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs (1973-89) before finishing his career with the Detroit Red Wings in 1989-90. He had 787 points (150 goals, 637 assists) in 1,148 games.

“When Borje came over, there were very few Europeans playing in the National Hockey League,” Healy said. “He was a pioneer. He played with courage. If you don't think that the Broad Street Bullies (Philadelphia Flyers) and the New York Rangers were trying to take a piece out of him, you didn't watch any of the game films. But he remained composed and paved the road for many other European players to come and play in the NHL. 

“Matt Sundin's the last award winner of the Courage Award. When he came in the League, there were 10 Swedish players playing in the NHL. Last year, there were 92 that started the season. So to me, he’s a trailblazer.

“It's about legacy. And the watch, which generates money for charity, is about legacy. And that's what this hall is about, what Borje was about, and what he did for future players to come to the League.”

The first 100 watches, numbered 001 through 100, have been reserved for NHL players. One has already been presented to Salming’s former Maple Leafs teammate and close friend Darryl Sitter with the No. 27, representing the number Sittler wore during his own Hall of Fame career.

Salming Watches is supporting the Alumni Association by donating $170 (Canadian funds) from the sale of each watch to charitable causes through the association and its network. There have already been about 2,200 inquiries about purchasing the watch, which runs about $12,000 (Canadian).

“Dad would have been so proud to see his vision come to fruition,” Anders Salming said. “Just like we still are of him.”