NHL.com’s Stan Fischler posted an article in which he lists his “best captains” from both the Original Six era and the present-day NHL, and he includes Red Wings captain and coach Sid “Bootnose” Abel:
Sid Abel, Detroit Red Wings: Abel was the center and architect of the famed and feared “Production Line” with Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay. His superior leadership qualities enabled him to blend their varied talents into one of the NHL’s most heralded lines. Despite the loss of Gordie Howe to injury, Abel rallied the Red Wings to a 4-3 double-overtime win against the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the 1950 Stanley Cup Final and eight consecutive wins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 1952 championship. Although slowing down somewhat, Abel took his skills to Chicago, where he became player-coach in 1952-53 and helped the previously forlorn Black Hawks to a rare postseason berth.
Continued; I will never understand why legendary Red Wings coach and GM Jack Adams sent so many of his star players away after winning Stanley Cups, but that’s what he did…
