SMOKIN' WITH THE BIG BOYS

Figures like Wayne Gretzky have taken flak for their unabashed enjoyment in fine cigars, and some, like Pat Quinn, have had to quit for health reasons, but Toronto's cigar shops are still doing brisk business.

Ottawa 67's head coach Brian Kilrea smokes a cigar as he celebrates his 1000th regular-season win. CP PICTURE ARCHIVE/Jonathan Hayward

By AILEEN CORR -- SportsXtra

 The corner of Avenue and Bloor is the centre of the cigar universe for Toronto's visitors. It's less than five minutes walk from four great cigar stores and the city's top two hotels.

 La Casa del Habana, located inside the Park Hyatt Hotel, is the obvious choice for visiting athletes looking for a quality cigar. Offering convenience and discretion to sports stars staying at the Hyatt or the nearby Four Seasons, La Casa del Habana supplies businessmen and basketballers with an amazing array of stogies. While you can get a decent cigar here for as little as $15, their prices range up to $200 per. They even provide a smoking lounge, fitted with ornate black ashtrays and deep leather armchairs.

 "All the visiting teams come in," according to manager Ely Sbrozzi, talking about the NBA's cigar afficionados. While he's hesitant to name names, he will name teams. "We see the New York Knicks and the Orlando Magic most consistently." If you want to smoke with some of basketball's most famous hoopsters, just check the Raptors' home schedule. Whenever they're at home, chances are at least a couple of their opponents will be partaking at the Park Hyatt.

 In spite of the Habana's popularity with visiting basketball stars, Sbrozzi has yet to meet a Raptor. Apparently he doesn't hang out at Harbour 60, where local sports superstars are often spotted. This steakhouse and cigar lounge is just across the street from the ACC, a convenient haven for celebrities who want to enjoy a quiet cigar before or after a game. "We get everybody," bar manager Lisa Nicolaou explains, "We get most of the Maple Leafs, the Raptors." Don't even think of idle stargazing, though. "I spend enough time chasing people out of the restaurant," Nicolaou says, rolling her eyes at autograph seekers who disrupt the luxurious atmosphere.

Leafs coach Pat Quinn with Cuban cigar. Michael Peake/Toronto Sun

 American athletes are particularly drawn to the fine Cubans available here. After all, Toronto is the only city in the American League or the NBA where you can get the damn things. Cuban brands like Cohiba, H.Upmann, Montecristo and Bolivar are considered to be some of the finest cigars in the world, but they haven't legally entered the U.S. since 1961.

 Figures like Wayne Gretzky have taken flak for their unabashed enjoyment in fine cigars, and some, like Pat Quinn, have had to quit for health reasons, but Toronto's cigar shops are still doing brisk business. Quinn used to buy from Thomas Hinds, a landmark for cigar smokers on Cumberland Street. The wall of fame is jammed with more than a hundred photos.

 Making the rounds of Toronto's top smoke shops and lounges it becomes apparent that you can smoke like the big boys for $20, but if you want to smoke with them you'd better check your credit limit, because it's not going to be cheap. The luxury lounges are small and regulars get priority, and the prices range from expensive to astronomical. If you have a genuine desire to sample the finer things it can be worth the investment, but if all you're after is a glimpse of Tie Domi, it might be easier and cheaper to get game tickets and a decent set of binoculars.