On August 14 in Rangers history: Taffy Abel, the first U.S. born NHL regular is signed
By Steve Paulus
What happened on August 14 in the history of the New York Rangers
On this date in 1926, the fledgling New York Rangers signed Clarence “Taffy” Abel, the first U.S. born player to become a regular in the NHL. Conn Smythe signed him to play in New York based on his performance at the Olympics two years before.
Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Abel was the flag bearer for the United States at the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix and he scored 15 goals for the silver medal winning Team USA.
He was playing for the Minneapolis Millers of the Central Hockey League when he was signed to play in the Rangers’ inaugural season, paired on defense with Ching Johnson. Abel was one of the biggest players in the NHL at the time, at 6’1″, 225 pounds.
He played three seasons in New York and was a key member of the 1928 Stanley Cup championship team. One year later, in 1929, he was sold to the Chicago Black Hawks where he won another Stanley Cup in 1934.
He retired after winning that Cup and returned to Sault Ste. Marie. He was a member of the first class of inductees into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.
How did he get the nickname “Taffy?” It’s simple. He just loved to chew taffy.
Today’s birthdays
14 NHL players have been born on August 14 with two of them former New York Rangers.
Adam Hall was born on this date in 1980 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was a well-traveled NHL player, toiling for seven different teams. He was with the Rangers for part of the 2006-07 season, traded to New York from Nashville for Dominic Moore. At the trade deadline in 2007, the Blueshirts swapped him to Minnesota for Pascal Dupuis. In 49 games as a Ranger, the right winger had four goals and 12 points.
Miroslav Horava was a defenseman born on this date in 1961 in Kladno, Czechoslovakia. He came to the Rangers in an eight-player trade in October 1986 with the Edmonton Oilers. No other trade by the Rangers has involved more players though the trade wasn’t concluded for five months when Stu Kulak was sent to New York to finalize the deal. Horava didn’t come to North American until 1988 and he played parts of three seasons with the Rangers before returning home where he played another decade.