Background
George was born and raised in Melville, Saskatchewan.
George was born and raised in Melville, Saskatchewan.
Born into a true western Canadian hockey family, he played minor hockey while growing up and joined the Flin Flon Bombers in 1937. In 1950, George joined the Melville Millionaires. He played for Melville until 1952, gaining a provincial reputation as an exceptional stick-handler and prolific goal-scorer.
Foreign a time, he both coached the team and played simultaneously.
At this time, George was known as "Mr. Hockey" in Saskatchewan.
In 1952, he accepted an invitation to join the Edmonton Mercurys to play as Canada"s National hockey team in the 1952 Olympics. The team toured Europe for three months, playing 50 or 51 games, where George earned the nickname "Mr.
Production". A bona fide international Canadian hockey hero, George happily returned to a quiet, but busy, life in Melville, all the while remaining active in hockey, fastball, softball, curling and fishing as a player or coach.
He retired from Abel"s Cartage in 1971. George"s younger brother Sid Abel (February 22, 1918 – February 8, 2000) became a Canadian professional hockey player and later coach in the National Hockey League.
His playing career spanned from the 1938-1939 season until the 1953-1954 season, playing for both the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks and was a member of three winning Stanley Cups in 1943, 1950, and 1952 with the Detroit Red Wings.