Sid Abel

Sid Abel
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1969
Born	(1918-02-22)February 22, 1918 Melville, SK, CAN
Died	Farmington Hills, MI, USA
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	NHL Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks AHL Pittsburgh Hornets Indianapolis Capitals
Playing career	1938–1954

Sidney Gerald "Sid" Abel (February 22, 1918 – February 8, 2000) was a Canadian Hall of Fame hockey player, coach and general manager in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Detroit Red Wings, and was a member of three winning Stanley Cup teams in 1943, 1950, and 1952.

Playing career

Born in Melville, Saskatchewan,

"Old Bootnose", as he was known,

Abel was demobilized late in the 1946 season, regaining his team captaincy, just in time for the playoffs.

In 1947, Abel and Lindsay was teamed up with rookie right winger Gordie Howe as a forward line by Red Wings' coach Jack Adams. While Abel's effectiveness late that season and in the playoffs was limited by an attack of pleurisy, the line paid immediate dividends, turning Lindsay into a star and leading the team to a playoff berth. The following season, Lindsay, Abel and Howe finished 1-3-4 in team scoring, while leading the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals.

By the 1949 season, the newly dubbed "Production Line" led the Wings to the first of seven consecutive regular season first place finishes, an unsurpassed NHL record, hampered only by serious injuries that cost Howe and Lindsay much of the season. Abel was tied with Lindsay for third in NHL scoring while leading the league in goals and recording career highs in goals and assists, and was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player, as well as being named to the First All-Star Team.

The next three seasons saw Abel lead the Production Line to surpass any other forward line in points, and in 1950 season Lindsay, Abel and Howe finished 1-2-3 in league scoring, the only time in NHL history that three linemates had achieved that feat. Abel repeated his First All-Star Team honor in 1950 en route to playing for his second Stanley Cup champion, and was named Second Team All-Star in 1951.

Abel was traded from the Red Wings to the Black Hawks for in 1952, and was named coach of the team. He served as player-coach for the next two seasons, and was the last full-time player-head coach in NHL history.

Though his #12 was honored by the Wings, Abel wore 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 19 and 20 throughout his career.

Retirement

Abel returned to the Red Wings in 1957–58 and served as Detroit's coach through the 1969–70 season.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Abel worked as a color commentator on Red Wings radio and television broadcasts.

Legacy

Sid Abel was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. In 1998, he was ranked number 85 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

Abel's #12 banner hanging in Joe Louis Arena.

Abel's older brother, George was a Canadian Olympic ice hockey player. In Olympic competition at Oslo, Norway, he scored the winning goal in the final game, securing the only Canadian gold medal of the Olympics. Sid's son Gerry also briefly played in the NHL, and his grandson Brent Johnson is a goaltender who last played for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Awards and achievements

• 2-time NHL First Team All-Star (1949, 1950)
• 2-time NHL Second Team All-Star (1942, 1951)
• 3-time Stanley Cup champion (1943, 1950, 1952)
• 1-time Hart Memorial Trophy (1949)
• Detroit Red Wings #12 retired on April 29, 1995

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1936–37	Melville Millionaires	S-SJHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1936–37	Saskatoon Wesleys	N-SJHL		—	—	—	—	—		3	6	2	8	2
1936–37	Saskatoon Wesleys	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		8	8	5	13	6
1937–38	Flin Flon Bombers	N-SSHL		23	12	16	28	13		8	4	4	8	17
1937–38	Flin Flon Bombers	Al-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		7	6	1	7	4
1938–39	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		15	1	1	2	0		6	1	1	2	2
1938–39	Pittsburgh Hornets	IAHL		41	22	24	46	27		—	—	—	—	—
1939–40	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		24	1	5	6	4		5	0	3	3	21
1939–40	Indianapolis Capitals	IAHL		21	7	11	18	10		—	—	—	—	—
1940–41	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		47	11	22	33	29		9	2	2	4	2
1941–42	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		48	18	31	49	45		12	4	2	6	8
1942–43*	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		49	18	24	42	33		10	5	8	13	4
1943–44	Montreal RCAF	QSHL		7	5	4	9	12		—	—	—	—	—
1943–44	Montreal Canada Car	MCHL		2	1	0	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
1944–45	Montreal RCAF	MCHL		4	6	8	14	4		—	—	—	—	—
1944–45	Lachine Rapides	QPHL		2	2	2	4	2		—	—	—	—	—
1944–45	Kingston RCAF	Exhib.		2	2	1	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
1945–46	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		7	0	2	2	0		3	0	0	0	0
1946–47	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		60	19	29	48	29		3	1	1	2	2
1947–48	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		60	14	30	44	69		10	0	3	3	16
1948–49	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		60	28	26	54	49		11	3	3	6	6
1949–50*	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		69	34	35	69	46		14	6	2	8	6
1950–51	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		69	23	38	61	30		6	4	3	7	0
1951–52*	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		62	17	36	53	32		7	2	2	4	12
1952–53	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		39	5	4	9	6		1	0	0	0	0
1953–54	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		3	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				612	189	283	472	376		97	28	30	58	79

• • Name was engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Coaching record

Team	Year	Regular season						Post season
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Division rank	Result
CHI	1952–53	70	27	28	15	69	4th in NHL	Lost in first round
CHI	1953–54	70	12	51	7	31	6th in NHL	DNQ
DET	1957–58	33	16	12	5	37	3rd in NHL	Lost in first round
DET	1958–59	70	25	37	8	58	6th in NHL	DNQ
DET	1959–60	70	26	29	15	67	4th in NHL	Lost in first round
DET	1960–61	70	25	29	16	66	4th in NHL	Lost in Stanley Cup Final
DET	1961–62	70	23	33	14	60	5th in NHL	DNQ
DET	1962–63	70	32	25	13	77	4th in NHL	Lost in Stanley Cup Final
DET	1963–64	70	30	29	11	71	4th in NHL	Lost in Stanley Cup Final
DET	1964–65	70	40	23	7	87	1st in NHL	Lost in first round
DET	1965–66	70	31	27	12	74	4th in NHL	Lost in Stanley Cup Final
DET	1966–67	70	27	39	4	58	5th in NHL	DNQ
DET	1967–68	74	27	35	12	66	5th in East	DNQ
DET	1969–70	74	38	21	15	91	3rd in East	Lost in First Round
STL	1971–72	10	3	6	1	7	3rd in West	Fired
KC	1975–76	3	0	3	0	0	5th in Smythe	Interim Coach
Total		964	382	427	155	919

See also

• List of famous ice hockey linemates
• List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
• Notable families in the NHL
• Production line (hockey)
• Captain (ice hockey)

References

• Carroll, M. R. (2001). The Concise Encyclopedia of Hockey. Vancouver: Greystone Press.
• Diamond, Dan and Eric Zweig, eds (2003). Hockey's Glory Days: the 50s and 60s. Kansas City: Andrew McMeel.
• Fischler, Stan (2002). Detroit Red Wings: Greatest Moments and Players. Sports Publishing Co.

External links

• Sid Abel's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Sid Abel's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database

Awards
Preceded by Buddy O'Connor	Winner of the Hart Trophy 1949	Succeeded by Chuck Rayner
Sporting positions
Preceded by Syd Howe	Detroit Red Wings captain 1942–43	Succeeded by Mud Bruneteau
Preceded by Flash Hollett	Detroit Red Wings captain 1945–52	Succeeded by Ted Lindsay
Preceded by Ebbie Goodfellow	Head coach of the Chicago Black Hawks 1952–54	Succeeded by Frank Eddolls
Preceded by Jimmy Skinner	Head coach of the Detroit Red Wings 1958–68	Succeeded by Bill Gadsby
Preceded by Bill Gadsby	Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings 1969–70	Succeeded by Ned Harkness
Preceded by Scotty Bowman	Head coach of the St. Louis Blues 1971–72	Succeeded by Bill McCreary Sr.
Preceded by Bep Guidolin	Head coach of the Kansas City Scouts 1975–76	Succeeded by Eddie Bush
Preceded by Jack Adams	General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings 1962–71	Succeeded by Ned Harkness
Preceded by Scotty Bowman	General Manager of the St. Louis Blues 1971–72	Succeeded by Chuck Catto
Preceded by Position created	General Manager of the Kansas City Scouts 1974–76	Succeeded by Ray Miron