The Iconic Cigarette Brands That Sponsored NHL Teams (And When It Ended)
🏒 Du Maurier, Export A, and Player’s once ruled the boards. A nostalgic look at tobacco’s golden era in Canadian hockey — and why Indigenous smokes Canada are the smart choice today.
The golden era of tobacco sponsorship in Canadian hockey
Federal ban on tobacco sponsorship — the end of an era
🏒 The Golden Age: When Cigarettes Owned the Blue Line
From the 1960s through the early 1990s, tobacco companies were among the biggest sponsors in Canadian sports. Cigarette ads were everywhere — on arena dasher boards, during TV timeouts, and even on player trading cards. It was a different era, when the link between smoking and lung cancer was acknowledged but still downplayed by the industry. Here are the most iconic brands that lit up the NHL.
Du Maurier was the king of Canadian hockey sponsorship. The brand sponsored Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts, arena signage, and even the annual “Du Maurier Open” golf tournament (which featured many NHL players). Their elegant black‑and‑gold logo was as familiar as the Maple Leafs’ crest. The brand targeted affluent, educated smokers — and hockey was their perfect vehicle.
Export ‘A’ was the working‑man’s cigarette, and it sponsored blue‑collar teams like the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Their famous “Export ‘A’ — the cigarette that smokes mild” campaign ran on arena boards and in program ads for decades. The brand’s rugged, outdoorsy image fit perfectly with hockey’s physical, no‑nonsense culture.
Player’s, with its iconic sailor logo, was one of Canada’s oldest cigarette brands. They sponsored the Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, and Ottawa Senators at various points. Player’s also produced “Player’s Hockey Cards” — a series of NHL trading cards that distributed through cigarette packs. Today, those cards are collector’s items.
Matinée was a Quebec‑focused brand that sponsored the Nordiques and French‑language Habs broadcasts. Their pink packaging and “Matinée — le goût de la liberté” campaign were ubiquitous at le Colisée and le Forum. After the Nordiques moved to Colorado (1995), Matinée sponsorship faded, ending with the federal ban.
📺 Beyond the Boards: Cigarette Ads on Hockey Night in Canada
Before 1972, television cigarette ads were legal in Canada. Du Maurier, Export A, and Player’s ran prime‑time commercials during Hockey Night in Canada, often featuring NHL players (though not actively smoking on camera — the league had rules against that). After the 1972 broadcast ad ban, brands pivoted to arena signage, program ads, and sponsored events. The logos remained visible until the federal Tobacco Products Control Act (1988) and later the Tobacco Act (1997) gradually eliminated all tobacco sponsorship by 1996.
last year of tobacco sponsorship in Canadian sports
estimated tax revenue lost to contraband in 2024
🔥 Today’s Native Cigarettes — No Sponsorship, Just Savings
Indigenous Smokes Canada — Legal, Tax‑Free, Delivered
🧾 What Replaced Tobacco Sponsorship?
After the 1996 ban, Canadian sports teams scrambled for new sponsors. Beer companies (Molson, Labatt), banks (RBC, BMO), and telecoms (Bell, Rogers) filled the gap. But one thing never returned: the low, stable cigarette prices of the pre‑ban era. Commercial cigarettes now cost $20‑25 per pack, while Indigenous smokes Canada from Cigstore.ca cost $2.90‑5.00 per pack — the same real price as a pack of Du Maurier in 1985 (adjusted for inflation).
🔄 Cigstore.ca: The Modern Alternative
You can’t buy Du Maurier, Export A, or Player’s with their old logos anymore — plain packaging turned them into identical drab brown boxes. But native brands like Canadian Light, BB, Nexus, Playfare, and Canadian Crush offer full‑colour packaging, natural tobacco, and 80‑85% lower prices. When you order smokes online from Cigstore.ca, you’re not funding corporate marketing budgets — you’re buying direct from Indigenous producers under constitutional protection.
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Honour the past. Smoke smarter today.
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