Sidney Gerald (Sid) Abel

Sidney Gerald “Sid” Abel

Detroit Red Wings Player (1938 – 1943, 1945 - 1952)
Detroit Red Wings Coach (1957 – 1970)

Sid Abel was born in Melville, Saskatchewan, playing junior hockey for the Flin Flon Bombers. After signing with the Red Wings, he would spend a few seasons bouncing back and forth between the Red Wings and their affiliates. He would go on to spend 12 seasons with the Red Wings being teamed with Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe on a line that became known as the “Production Line”. Abel was named team captain in 1942, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II rejoining the Red Wings at the end of the 1946 season regaining his captaincy. At the end of his career was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks where he spent two seasons, also serving as the head coach. He came back to the Red Wings in 1958 and served as head coach through the 1970 season. During his career, he played in 612 games scoring 189 goals and 283 assists, winning three Stanley Cups and the Art Ross Trophy. He was a first-team All-Star two times. Abel was named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” in history in 2017 and had his number “12” retired by the Detroit Red Wings in 1995. Sid Abel was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969 and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1967. He passed away on February 8, 2000 at 81 years of age.