Former Oiler Esa Tikkanen is auctioning off 4 of his Stanley Cup rings

Former NHLer and Oilers forward Esa Tikkanen is auctioning off four of his five Stanley Cup rings.

Tikkanen won four cups with the Edmonton Oilers in 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990 and one with the New York Rangers in 1994.

The rings being auctioned off include three he won with the Oilers, from 1987, 1988 and 1990 and the lone Rangers ring.

Tikkanen spoke to CTV Morning Live Edmonton’s Kent Morrison about why he decided to sell them.

Kent: Tell us what is up for sale.

Esa Tikkanen: It’s four Stanley Cup rings, three with the Oilers, one with New York. Why I’m selling them? because they don’t fit my fingers anymore and somebody’s going to get some exciting rings.

Kent: These are obviously very cherished, very valued, especially in this city. You say three up for sale, that means you’re keeping one of them, which one are you keeping?

Tikkanen: I’m keeping my first one. When I started playing hockey, my dad, I promised him if I get to the NHL one day and win the Stanley Cup, he’s going to get one (ring), the first one and that’s what happened. That’s why I’m keeping the first one, it’s special to me and my dad and my whole family, that first Stanley Cup. I was happy winning three more with the Oilers and one with New York, but most of those Edmonton Oilers rings are more exciting than anything else.

Kent: It’s easy to say they don’t fit on your hand anymore, but they made a lot more than that. It must be tough to part with this, what is behind this decision? Why did you decide now is the time to sell them?

Tikkanen: It’s been 30 years since the last time they fit my fingers. I keep them in boxes and I never use them. They were just sitting there, like I said, for 30 years. Now is the right time for somebody else who wants to get to the auction and get those rings and keep them. I think it’s still reverent for me to win with Wayne and Jari, we played the same line, and win the four Stanley Cups with the Oilers and that is … I’ll never, never forget those games and rings, rings are rings and in Finland we don’t use those rings so much.

Kent: So what are you going to do with the money, do you need it?

Tikkanen: No, I don’t need it, but there’s lots more people selling and the auction where I put them before there’s been Lidström, Peter Pocklington, Petr Klima, Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr selling the Stanley Cup rings, so I was thinking about it, why are they in my closet and nobody can see them? Let’s put them up for sale and see what happens.

Kent: How much are you hoping to get?

Tikkanen: No hope or anything, if somebody wants to buy them, they can go bet on them and see what’s going on. I never think about the money, I just think about the fact that everybody knows I’ve won five Stanley Cups and those are some of the memories I made in Edmonton and New York.

Kent: I don’t have to tell you this, Edmonton Oilers fans are certainly passionate about their team and will be interested in your Stanley Cup rings. What is it like to watch this year’s team in the Stanley Cup Finals?

Tikkanen: Well it’s a little bit sad, what happened in the first two games. First game we made a couple of mistakes and the Florida Panthers are an exciting, great team, they capitalized on those mistakes. Second game was a fierce game, stupid penalties, one-nothing game leading and after that doing a couple mistakes again, Panthers win easily 4-1. But now we’re back in Edmonton and Game 3 is big for the whole city and I think the city is going to be behind the game and it’s going to be the sixth player on the ice. I think it’s going to be exciting. We have a faster ice in Edmonton, best ice in the NHL, so I think it’s going to be a great game and I think our big guys are ready to play the game.

Kent: I think so too. Mr. Esa Tikkanen, thank you so much for joining us this morning. Go Oilers.

Tikkanen: Here we go Oilers.

Kent: If you’d like to find and bid on these items up for auction right now you can find them on classicauctions.net.

The Oilers play Game 3 against the Florida Panthers Thursday at 6 p.m.