Sid Abel

Sid Abel
Position	Center
Shot	Left
Height Weight	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg)
Teams	NHL Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks AHL Pittsburgh Hornets Indianapolis Capitals
Nationality	Canadian
Born	February 22, 1918, Melville, SK, CAN
Died	February 7, 1000,
Pro Career	1938 – 1954
Hall of Fame, 1969

Sidney "Sid" Gerald Abel [February 22, 1918 - February 7, 2000) was a Canadian professional player and later coach in the National Hockey League. His playing career spanned from the 1938–39 season until the 1953–54 season, playing for both the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks and winning three Stanley Cups in 1943, 1950, and 1952.

Playing Career

Born in Melville, Saskatchewan, "Old Bootnose", as he was known, was the third member of the Red Wings' celebrated "Production line" along with Hockey Hall of Fame teammates Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay. Abel won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 1949. Abel was traded from the Red Wings to the Black Hawks in 1952–53, and served as a player-coach for the next two seasons. He returned to the Red Wings in 1957–58 and served as Detroit's coach through the 1969–70 season. Though his #12 was honored by the Wings, Abel wore 4, 7, 9, 12, 14, 19 and 20 throughout his career.

Post-playing Career

In the 1970s and 1980s, Abel worked as a colour commentator on Red Wings radio broadcasts. NHL goaltender Brent Johnson of the Washington Capitals is Abel's grandson.

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.

Awards and Achievements

• 1948–49: Hart Memorial Trophy

Career Statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1938–39	Pittsburgh Hornets	IAHL		41	21	24	45	27		—	—	—	—	—
1938–39	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		15	1	1	2	0		3	1	1	2	2
1939–40	Indianapolis Capitals	IAHL		21	7	11	18	10		—	—	—	—	—
1939–40	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		21	1	5	6	4		5	0	3	3	21
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
1944–45	Lachine Rapides	QPHL		2	2	2	4	2		—	—	—	—	—
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		94	28	30	58	79

• *Name was engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Coaching Statistics

Season  Team               Lge Type       GP  W  L  T OTL Pct Result 
1952-53 Chicago Blackhawks NHL Head Coach 70 27 28 15  0 0.493 Lost in round 1 
1953-54 Chicago Blackhawks NHL Head Coach 70 12 51  7  0 0.221 Out of Playoffs 
1957-58 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 33 16 12  5  0 0.561 Lost in round 1 
1958-59 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 25 37  8  0 0.414 Out of Playoffs 
1959-60 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 26 29 15  0 0.479 Lost in round 1 
1960-61 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 25 29 16  0 0.471 Lost in Finals 
1961-62 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 23 33 14  0 0.429 Out of Playoffs 
1962-63 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 32 25 13  0 0.550 Lost in Finals 
1963-64 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 30 29 11  0 0.507 Lost in Finals 
1964-65 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 40 23  7  0 0.621 Lost in round 1 
1965-66 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 31 27 12  0 0.529 Lost in Finals 
1966-67 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 70 27 39  4  0 0.414 Out of Playoffs 
1967-68 Detroit Red Wings  NHL Head Coach 74 27 35 12  0 0.446 Out of Playoffs 
1971-72 St. Louis Blues    NHL Head Coach 11  3  7  1  0 0.318  
1975-76 Kansas City Scouts NHL Head Coach 3   0  3  0  0 0.000 Out of Playoffs 

Gallery

Gerry McNeil, Sid Abel, Vic Stasiuk in 1950-51 season action. Note the City of Detroit 250th anniversary patch.

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 captains 1942–43	Succeeded by Mud Bruneteau
Preceded by William Hollett	Detroit Red Wings captains 1945-52	Succeeded by Ted Lindsay
Preceded by Ebbie Goodfellow	Head Coaches of the Chicago Blackhawks 1952-54	Succeeded by Frank Eddolls
Preceded by Jimmy Skinner	Head Coaches of the Detroit Red Wings 1958-68	Succeeded by Bill Gadsby
Preceded by Bill Gadsby	Head Coaches of the Detroit Red Wings 1969–70	Succeeded by Ned Harkness
Preceded by Scotty Bowman	Head Coaches of the St. Louis Blues 1971–72	Succeeded by Bill McCreary Sr.
Preceded by Bep Guidolin	Head Coaches of the Kansas City Scouts 1975–76	Succeeded by Eddie Bush