Abel was known for his offensive skills and was an integral part of the "Production Line" with Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay. He was the first Red Wing to record 50 points in a season and was the team's leading scorer in 1941โ42. He finished his career with 604 points in 815 games and was the Red Wings' all-time leading scorer until Howe surpassed him in 1964.
After retirement, Abel became a coach and was the head coach of the Red Wings for three seasons, winning the Stanley Cup in 1955. He was also the general manager of the Chicago Black Hawks and the St. Louis Blues. In 1972, he was named the first general manager of the World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets.
Abel was an innovator in the game of hockey and is credited with introducing the "overload" power play formation. He was also one of the first NHL coaches to use video to study opponents and was ahead of his time in terms of his use of analytics.
Abel passed away in 2000 at the age of 81. He was remembered as one of the greatest players and coaches in NHL history and his legacy lives on in the game of hockey.
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