Sandin describes the reaction in the room when Sheldon Keefe announced an all-Swedish starting lineup
After a lengthy standing ovation Friday night during the Hall of Fame ceremony, Borje Salming was honoured with a beautiful, touching ceremony on Saturday prior to the game against the Canucks last night. A video tribute with commentary, a ceremonial puck drop with Salming himself, a hug from William Nylander and of course another lengthy standing ovation were all parts of the tribute to Salming, but what Sheldon Keefe did with the starting lineup was probably the most notable.
Keefe chose to start an all-Swedish line to honour Salming last night. Along with Erik Kallgren in net, Timothy Liljegren, Rasmus Sandin, Calle Jarnkrok, Pierre Engvall and William Nylander started the game. It was unknown to the players until Keefe announced it in the room just before puck drop, Sandin revealed to the media after the team's 3-2 win.
"All of us just looked at each other, just smiling.We all talked about it, that it was tough for all of us to hold back tears tonight and yesterday. The win tonight was definitely for Borje," said Sandin postgame of starting an all-Swede lineup.
Salming played a massive role in opening the doors for not just Swedish players, but all European players to play in North America - so for the Leafs to honour him in that way with the starting lineup, it was certainly special and will be something he and his family won't forget. The players, including Sandin, who has looked up to Salming for most of his life, won't soon forget it either.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 13 | 1522 ANSWERS Sandin describes the reaction in the room when Sheldon Keefe announced an all-Swedish starting lineup What did you think of Keefe's decision to start an all-Swedish lineup to honour Borje Salming? | ||
| Pure class! | 1474 | 96.8 % |
| Not necessary | 22 | 1.4 % |
| Didn't care either way | 26 | 1.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
