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“Börje – The Journey of a Legend” will be available to stream on Viaplay.
Now available on the Viaplay streaming service, “Börje – The Journey of a Legend” focuses on the life and career of one of the greatest players in the history of hockey. In this six-part series, Valter Skarsgård plays Swedish-born Börje Salming, a man who became legendary for his skill at the game. The true story focuses not only on his triumphs on the ice, but also on his personal relationships and life off the rink.
Hedda Stirnstedt co-stars as Margitta Salming, Borge's lifelong love who shared his good times and bad, Jason Priestley as hockey scout Gerry McNamara, Pelle Holmström as Inge Hammarström, a Swedish hockey player who joined the NHL with Borge, and Oskar Skagelberg as Stig Salming, Borge's brother and a talented hockey player himself.
The series follows Borje as he is bullied and ridiculed in his small town of Kiruna, Sweden, all the way to the end of his illustrious career. From there, he joined the Brynes IF team with his brother, and was recruited along with teammate Hammarstrom to Toronto, where they both signed with the Maple Leafs. McNamara knew Borje's potential. He was there to scout Hammarstrom, but a gut feeling told him he should sign Borje too, and that instinct was right.
At first, the young Swede had no idea what the coach was saying to the team, but he quickly became fluent in English, thanks to his girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, Margitta, who accompanied him to Canada.
Bollier was a strong-willed player, unstoppable on the ice. His bravado won over the fans and the front office, especially Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard (AC Peterson). But his ability as a player was worth his salary. He was intent on bringing the Stanley Cup back to Toronto, and he played his hardest every year. Not only did he score many goals and assists, but the man also suffered multiple injuries that would sideline most players. But he never let anything stop him from getting back on the ice and helping his teammates. Even when he lost half his eyesight, the man was like the Energizer Bunny. He just kept going, scoring goals, and protecting himself and his teammates.
The old joke, “I went to a fight and it turned into a hockey game,” may harken back to Salming's days: he was a fighter, but he was also a formidable athlete.
Salming spent 16 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was the first European to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and proved to other European players that the NHL is the best place to play hockey. The NHL is hailed as the best and toughest hockey league in the world and Salming may be the poster child for that accolade.
During his career, Salming was a six-time Maple Leafs All-Star and earned the love of the city and the respect of his fellow hockey players in the NHL. He was someone who embodied the spirit of the game.
It's interesting to see how hairstyles, cars and especially clothing change over the years. For those who remember the 1970s, the first part of this series will take you back to that time. It's like the past has come alive all at once.
Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and Mario Lemieux are the names that most often come to mind when thinking of the greatest hockey players of all time, but Borje Salming is also at the top of the list. If you don't know who he was, this film will give you an insight into the triumph of this inspirational man. It's a fascinating and amazing story.
The series ends with the real Borje Salming walking down the street. Sadly, he died of ALS in 2022, aged 71. As the series was in production before he got ill, he lived long enough to see it come to fruition.
Skarsgård gives a fantastic performance in the role. He comes from a family of actors and is the son of popular Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård.
The six-part series is available on the Viaplay streaming service and is broadcast in English with subtitles for the Swedish dialogue, although after the first episode there is very little Swedish dialogue.
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