Sid Abel
Hockey Hall of Fame player, coach, and executive.
Sidney Gerald Abel was born on February 22, 1918, in Melville, Saskatchewan. A Hockey Hall of Famer, he worked as a player, coach, and general manager in the NHL, spending most of his career with the Detroit Red Wings. He won the Stanley Cup in 1943, 1950, and 1952, and in 2017, the league named him one of its "100 Greatest NHL Players."
Known by the nickname "Old Bootnose," Abel played junior hockey for the Flin Flon Bombers before joining the Red Wings in 1938. He spent parts of the next two seasons shuttling between Detroit and its International-American Hockey League affiliates, becoming a full-time NHLer in 1940. He was named team captain in 1942. Abel left the Red Wings in 1943 to serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, skating for an RCAF team in Montreal. He was demobilized late in the 1945–46 season, rejoining the Wings just in time for the playoffs and regaining the captaincy. In 1947, coach Jack Adams put Abel and Ted Lindsay on a line with rookie Gordie Howe. Despite a bout of pleurisy that slowed Abel late that season, the trio pushed the team into the playoffs. The next year, Lindsay, Abel, and Howe finished first, third, and fourth in team scoring, leading the Wings to the Stanley Cup Final. By 1949, the line—now called the "Production Line"—had Detroit on its way to seven straight first-place finishes, an NHL record that still stands. Howe and Lindsay missed significant time with severe injuries that season, but Abel tied Lindsay for third in league scoring, led the league in points, and set career highs in both goals and assists. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy as MVP and was named to the First All-Star Team. Over the next three seasons, the Production Line outscored every other forward line in the league. In 1949–50, Lindsay, Abel, and Howe finished first, second, and third in league scoring, matching a feat the Boston Bruins' "Kraut Line" had accomplished in 1939–40. Abel made the First All-Star Team again in 1950 and won his second Stanley Cup. He was named a Second-Team All-Star in 1951. The Red Wings sold Abel to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1952, and he was immediately named coach of his new team. He served as a player-coach for two seasons, becoming the last full-time player-head coach in NHL history. Though his No. 12 is honored by the Wings, Abel wore many numbers during his career: 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 19, and 20.
Quick Facts
- Played For
- Detroit Red Wings / Chicago Black Hawks
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Left
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 11
- Weight Lb
- 170
- Birth Date
- 1918-02-22
- Birth Place
- Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Death Date
- 2000-02-08
- Death Place
- Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.
- Career Start
- 1938
- Career End
- 1954
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Born in Melville, Saskatchewan, Abel played junior hockey with the Flin Flon Bombers and joined the Red Wings in 1938. He split the next two seasons between the Red Wings and their affiliates before becoming a full-time player in 1940, and was named captain in 1942. In 1943, he left to serve with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, skating with the RCAF team in Montreal, and rejoined the Red Wings late in the 1946 season, regaining the captaincy. In 1947, coach Jack Adams placed Abel and Ted Lindsay on a forward line with rookie Gordie Howe, forming the 'Production Line.' Despite an attack of pleurisy late that season, the line led the team to a playoff berth. By 1949, the Production Line led the Wings to the first of seven consecutive first-place finishes, an NHL record still standing. Abel led the league in goals that season, recorded career highs, won the Hart Memorial Trophy as MVP, and was named to the First All-Star team. He was sold to the Chicago Black Hawks in 1952 and served as player-coach for two seasons, the last full-time player-head coach in NHL history.
Reader's Guide
Abel's significance lies in his multifaceted career as a player, coach, and executive. As a player, he was a key member of the Detroit Red Wings' Production Line alongside Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe, leading the team to multiple first-place finishes and Stanley Cup victories. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1949 and was named to multiple All-Star teams. As a coach, he led the Chicago Black Hawks for two seasons and returned to the Red Wings as head coach from 1957–58 through 1967–68, adding GM duties in 1962. Under his coaching, the Red Wings made the playoffs seven times, including a first-place finish in 1964-65, but lost in the Stanley Cup Final four times (1961, 1963, 1964, 1966). He later served as general manager of the expansion Kansas City Scouts and coached the St. Louis Blues briefly. His legacy includes being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969, having his number 12 retired by the Red Wings in 1995, and being named to the NHL's 100 Greatest Players list in 2017.
Did You Know?
- Abel was known by the nickname 'Old Bootnose.'
- He wore eight different jersey numbers (4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 19, 20, and 12 again) during his career.
- Abel's grandson Brent Johnson was an NHL goaltender.
- He worked as a colour commentator on Red Wings broadcasts in the 1970s and 1980s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sid Abel?
Sidney Gerald Abel was a Canadian forward, coach, and general manager born in Melville, Saskatchewan, in 1918, who spent the bulk of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. He is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame for his contributions in all three of those roles.
What was Sid Abel's nickname and where did he start his career?
Abel went by the nickname "Old Bootnose" throughout his professional years. He cut his teeth in junior hockey with the Flin Flon Bombers before signing with Detroit in 1938 and shuttling between the Red Wings and their I-AHL affiliates.
How many Stanley Cups did Sid Abel win?
Abel lifted the Stanley Cup three times—in 1943, 1950, and 1952—all as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. Those championships spanned his playing years and marked him as a cornerstone of that franchise's golden era.
What did Sid Abel do after his playing days ended?
After retiring as a player, Abel moved into coaching and front-office positions, serving as head coach of the St. Louis Blues and as general manager and coach of the Kansas City Scouts. His post-playing career kept him embedded in the league's operations well into the 1970s.
Why is Sid Abel remembered as one of hockey's greats?
The NHL selected Abel as one of its 100 Greatest Players in 2017, a recognition that goes beyond his three Cup titles and his 1949 Hart Memorial Trophy. His Hall of Fame induction honors a rare career that meaningfully shaped a franchise from the ice, the bench, and the front office.
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