Former Habs defenceman Petr Svoboda selling 1986 Stanley Cup ring, donating proceeds to charity

Former Montreal Canadien Petr Svoboda is putting his Stanley Cup ring up for auction to donate to the Maison la Passerelle.

Almost 40 years after Petr Svoboda won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens, he has decided to put his Stanley Cup ring up for auction.

“I’m not one of those people who likes to look back too much,” Svoboda said.

The ring, made of 10-karat gold and set with 23 diamonds, is worth thousands of dollars — but Svoboda will donate all the proceeds to Maison La Passerelle, a rehabilitation centre that treats women struggling with addiction.

“I thought it would be nice to help,” he said. “I think it’s going to have a great impact.”

Classic Auctions is facilitating the sale.

According to president Marc Juteau, a Stanley Cup ring is one of the most valuable items a sports memorabilia collector can buy.

“They’ve sold for, I want to say, between $20,000 and $40,000 depending on the player,” said Juteau. “It’s an amazing gesture from Petr Svoboda, and to my recollection, I’ve never seen a player donate a Stanley Cup ring for a cause like this.”

Svoboda played for the Canadiens for eight years, and his career lasted 17 years in total. But 1986 was his only Stanley Cup-winning season, so this ring is the only one he has — highlighting the significance of the donation.

“Instead of me having it somewhere hidden, someone will probably enjoy it and it will help the cause of La Passerelle,” he said.

The hope is that Svoboda’s generosity will motivate bidders.

“This could drive the price up to who knows what. The sky’s the limit because it’s completely a donation. So we’re hoping for as much as possible,” said Juteau.

Classic Auctions will be taking bids online for the next few weeks. The current leading bid is more than US$9,000.