Esa Tikkanen brief

Stanley Cup Championships Edmonton Oilers 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, New York Rangers 1994

LEFT-WING ON THE WORLD'S BEST LINE

Esa Tikkanen is one of the best ice hockey player's in Finnish history. "Tiki" played an amazing 15 seasons in the hardest league in the world, the National Hockey League. During the 15 seasons, Tikkanen won 5 championships.

Tikkanen won his first 4 Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers in 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990. He won the 5th cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. For many seasons, Tikkanen was a part of arguably the world's best line, skating alongside Wayne Gretzky and fellow Finn Jari Kurri. Esa Tikkanen was a great playoff-player, always shining during the most important games of the season.

The Oilers had been searching for a left-winger to play with Gretzky and Kurri for a long time. Tikkanen joined the Edmonton Oilers immediately after entering the NHL after the spring 1985 World Championships. 20-year old Tikkanen, who spoke a mixture of Finnish, Swedish, and English, took his spot by storm on the world's best line. Tikkanen scored over 60 points in five straight seasons. He also exceeded the 60-point plateau during the Oilers championship year and the super-line's last season in 1988, when he scored 27 (10+17) points in 19 playoff games. After 3 championships together, Gretzky was traded to Los Angeles. This started a new chapter in Tikkanen's career.

"Sather asked me if I could look after Gretzky when we played against Los Angeles. That's when it started", Tikkanen remembers. Tikkanen became one the most well-known enforcers in NHL history. He was able to affect almost all the superstars with his antics. Tikkanen's most known asset was his constant trash-talking called "Tiki-talk", which definitely got in the head of opponents.

Like Kurri, Tikkanen played his best games in the NHL playoffs. Finns never saw the super duo at their best while playing for the national team, Leijonat. "My best experience on the national team was by far the Olympic bronze form Nagano in 1998, when all the world's best players were playing", Tikkanen said. Tikkanen was 33-years old during the Nagano Olympics. He got to still taste success with the national team, winning bronze at the World Championships in St. Petersburg in the spring of 2000.

Stanley Cup Championships
Edmonton Oilers 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990
New York Rangers 1994