A former Canadiens player is selling his Stanley Cup ring & bids are already topping $25k

A former Montreal Canadiens defenceman is letting go of a rare piece of Habs history, and he's doing it for a reason that has nothing to do with money.

Petr Svoboda, who won the Stanley Cup with Montreal back in 1986, is auctioning off his championship ring to raise funds for Maison La Passerelle, a rehabilitation centre for women dealing with addiction. Every dollar from the winning bid will go directly to the organization, and Classic Auctions is also donating its entire 20 percent buyer's premium to the cause.

The ring went live on the auction site a few days ago, and the bidding has already climbed past $26,000 USD. Based on current conversions, that's more than $45,000 CAD going straight to the centre, which recently opened a second house to support even more women in Quebec.

"I've worn the ring maybe once or twice since I received it," Svoboda said in a recent interview with NHL.com. "I've decided to donate mine because it will tremendously help people in need." He said he connected with the organization through family, and the work they do left a strong enough impression that he wanted to help in any way he could.

The ring itself is a serious collector's item. Made of 10K gold and set with 23 diamonds to mark the Habs' 23rd Stanley Cup, it features Svoboda's name, jersey number and a full breakdown of Montreal's 1986 playoff run. It comes straight from his personal collection with a signed letter of authenticity.

Svoboda spent more than 1,000 games in the NHL, including eight seasons with Montreal, and later won Olympic gold with the Czech Republic in 1998. He told NHL.com he's "pleasantly surprised" by how much interest the ring has already drawn.

For those interested, the auction closes December 2, and with more collectors jumping in each day, the final price could end up much higher.