Taffy Abel

Clarence John "Taffy" Abel (May 28, 1900 – August 1, 1964) was an American professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks between 1926 and 1934. Born in 1900 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States, as a Native American Ojibwe, he was forced to hide his Native American ancestry until 1939. He was a silver medalist in ice hockey at the 1924 Winter Olympics and the U.S. flagbearer for those games, making him the first Native American to play, and to win a medal, in the Winter Olympics. He was a member of two Stanley Cup championship teams. On November 16, 1926, he became the first United States–born Native American player to become an NHL regular, with the New York Rangers. He is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

As a member of the Minneapolis Millers of the CHL during the 1925–26 season, Abel was named to the CHL's First All-Star team at the defense position.

Abel played in the NHL for eight years. He scored his first NHL goal on December 7, 1926, in the New York Rangers' 1-0 road victory over the Boston Bruins.

He was signed by Conn Smythe to the New York Rangers, largely based upon his strong performance at the Winter Olympics in 1924. With the Rangers, he wore sweater number 4, and, paired with defenseman Ching Johnson, was a key member of the Stanley Cup–winning Rangers team in 1927-28. Abel was a member of the Cup-winning Black Hawks in 1933-34, his last NHL season. He also operated a tourist resort named "Taffy’s Lodge" in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Abel died in his home in Sault Ste. Marie, on August 1, 1964, aged 64. Nine years later, he was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as a player.

The Taffy Abel Arena, home rink for the Lake Superior State University hockey program, is named in his honor.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1918–19 Michigan Soo Nationals TBSHL — — — — — — — — — — 1919–20 Michigan Soo Wildcats TBSHL 8 3 1 4 26 — — — — — 1920–21 Michigan Soo Wildcats TBSHL — — — — — — — — — — 1921–22 Michigan Soo Wildcats TBSHL — — — — — — — — — — 1922–23 St. Paul Athletic Club USAHA 18 3 0 3 — 4 0 0 0 0 1923–24 St. Paul Athletic Club USAHA 3 1 0 1 — 8 0 0 0 0 1924–25 St. Paul Saints USAHA 39 8 0 8 — — — — — — 1925–26 Minneapolis Millers CHL 35 11 10 21 56 — — — — — 1926–27 New York Rangers NHL 44 8 4 12 78 2 0 1 1 6 1927–28 New York Rangers NHL 23 0 1 1 28 9 1 0 1 14 1928–29 New York Rangers NHL 44 3 1 4 41 6 0 0 0 8 1929–30 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 38 3 3 6 42 2 0 0 0 10 1930–31 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 43 0 1 1 45 9 0 0 0 8 1931–32 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 48 3 3 6 34 2 0 0 0 2 1932–33 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 47 0 4 4 63 — — — — — 1933–34 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 46 2 1 3 28 8 0 0 0 8 NHL totals 333 19 18 37 359 38 1 1 2 56

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1924 United States OLY 5 15 0 15 8 Senior totals 5 15 0 15 8