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Swedish Players in the Hockey Hall of Fame

January 10, 2026, by Ryan Gagne

The Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) was established in 1943, with the first players inducted in 1945. There is a misconception about the HHOF because most enshrined players have had illustrious NHL careers. The HHOF is for international players as well; however, only a few players outside North America are recognized for their contributions to the game on the world stage. 

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Vladislav Tretiak, from the Soviet Union/Russia, was the first Player inducted into the HHOF without a Canadian or American passport. Often considered the most outstanding Goalie ever, he remained the only non-North American Player in the HHOF until 1996, when Sweden’s great Börje Salming earned induction. 

Eventually, the gates opened to superstars born and trained in Europe who either jumped the pond to play in the NHL or earned recognition for their achievements in international competitions. However, Salming remained the only Player from his Nordic homeland with a plaque in Toronto. He finally got some company with a few new players, earning their ticket to immortality in 2012, 2014, and 2015. 

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As of the Class of 2025, there are 299 players in the HHOF, just 27 of whom were born outside North America, with eight from Sweden. When Salming was inducted in 1996, he was alone for almost two decades. Still, as more Swedish-born players established themselves as elite players in the NHL and international competitions during the 21st century, the country’s representation in the HHOF has increased from one to eight in just 11 years.

1996 HHOF Class – Börje Salming (Kiruna, Sweden)

Salming was among the first European-born,- trained players to come to North America and succeed in the NHL. 

He started his professional Hockey career in Sweden’s Division 2 in 1967 as a member of Kiruna AIF. After three seasons, Salming advanced to the top division in 1970 and won the league championship with Brynäs in 1971 and 1972. On May 12, 1973, he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being discovered by scout Gerry McNamara. On October 10, 1973, Salming made his NHL debut, earning an assist in a 7-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Moreover, after 39 points in 75 games, he finished third in the Calder Trophy voting and fifth in the Norris Trophy voting. 

Over the next six seasons, Salming set career highs in points (78 in 1977) and games played (80 in 1978), earning an All-Star selection yearly. He never won the Norris Trophy, but during this stretch, he never finished lower than fourth in the voting and was runner-up in 1977 and 1980.

Salming played 1,099 games with the Maple Leafs (third all-time), scoring 148 goals and adding 620 assists (a franchise record) for 768 points (fourth). He never shied away from contact and racked up 1,292 penalty minutes (fifth). When his time in Toronto ended, he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, suiting up for 49 games in 1989-90. 

Upon retirement, Salming received several accolades, including enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame (1996) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Hall of Fame (1998). The Hockey News listed him as No. 74 in the top 100 Greatest NHL Players, and the Maple Leafs retired his No. 21 jersey in 2006. In 2008, the IIHF named him a member of the Centennial All-Star Team. 

Salming made headlines in July 2022 when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Months later, he made his first public appearance, informing the world that he could no longer speak and had to receive his meals through a feeding tube. Before his passing on November 22, 2022, his family created the Böjre Salming ALS Foundation, a lasting tribute to all those who continue to fight the incurable disease.

2012 HHOF Class – Mats Sundin (Bromma, Sweden)

Mats Sundin became the first European-born Player to be selected first overall in an NHL Entry Draft when the Quebec Nordiques called his name on June 17, 1989. As of 2022, he remains one of only two Swedish players (Rasmus Dahlin, 2018) drafted first overall. 

In 1989, as a member of Djurgårdens IF in Sweden, Sundin won a league championship before moving to North America in 1990. He made his debut on October 4, scoring a goal in his first game. Two seasons later, in 1992-93, he set a career high with 114 points before Quebec traded him to the Maple Leafs at the 1994 Draft.  

When he landed in Toronto, Sundin was already a star on the rise. During his 13 years with the Maple Leafs, he became a Hall of Famer, 10 as the Team captain. Although he won only one award during his tenure with the club, he became the franchise’s leader in goals (420) and points (987). Considered one of the best players in the illustrious history of the Maple Leafs, Sundin never led his club to a Stanley Cup Final appearance, making him one of the game’s best never to lift the Silver Chalice. 

Upon retirement in 2009, Sundin remained the only Swedish Player to score 500 goals (564) and collect over 1,300 points (1,349). He ranks second in games played (1,346), third in assists (785), and sixth in penalty minutes (1,093) amongst Sweden-born players. Internationally, Sundin captained Sweden to Olympic Gold at the 2006 Turin Games. He also earned gold medals at the World Championships in 1991, 1992, and 1998, along with silver medals in 1990 and 2003. 

In his first year of eligibility, 2012, the HHOF welcomed Sundin before the IIHF called in 2013. The Maple Leafs retired his jersey No. 13 in 2011, and the NHL named him one of the 100 Greatest Players in league history. 

2014 HHOF Class – Peter Forberg (Örnsköldsvik, Sweden)

Peter Forsberg began his professional Hockey career with MoDo Hockey in Sweden, first at the junior level and then as a senior Player. The Philadelphia Flyers drafted him as the sixth overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, the highest European Player selected that year. Before the superstar even made his NHL debut, the Flyers traded him to the Nordiques in a package for Eric Lindros, who refused to sign with Quebec. 

While in Sweden, Forsberg’s reputation grew after winning a gold medal at the 1992 World Championships and back-to-back silver medals at the 1992 and 1993 World Junior Championships. Furthermore, at the 1993 Tournament, Forsberg set an IIHF junior record with 31 points in seven games, a mark that remains unchallenged 30 years later. However, his crowning international achievement came a season later, when he scored the decisive goal in the shootout to help Sweden win its first gold medal at the Winter Olympics. 

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