Bernie Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 18 seasons. He was born on June 24, 1961, in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada. Nicholls began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Kingston Canadians in 1978. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.
Nicholls made his NHL debut with the Kings in the 1981-82 season. He quickly established himself as a talented forward, scoring 41 goals and 73 points in his rookie season. Nicholls continued to improve over the next few seasons, becoming one of the league's top scorers. In the 1983-84 season, he scored 70 goals and 150 points, which are still Kings' records. He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team and finished second in Hart Trophy voting for the league's most valuable player.
Nicholls played for the Kings for nine seasons before being traded to the New York Rangers in 1989. He played for the Rangers for two seasons before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 1991. Nicholls played for the Oilers for one season before being traded to the New Jersey Devils in 1992. He played for the Devils for two seasons before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1994. Nicholls played for the Blackhawks for one season before being traded back to the Rangers in 1995. He played for the Rangers for one more season before being traded to the San Jose Sharks in 1996. Nicholls played for the Sharks for one season before being traded to the Dallas Stars in 1997. He played for the Stars for one season before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1998. Nicholls played for the Maple Leafs for one season before retiring in 1999.
Nicholls was a skilled offensive player who was known for his scoring ability. He scored 475 goals and 1209 points in 1127 career NHL games. He was named to the NHL All-Star Team three times and was a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in 1984. Nicholls also represented Canada in international competition, winning a silver medal at the 1985 World Championships.
After retiring from playing, Nicholls became a coach and worked with several teams in the minor leagues. He also worked as an analyst for the NHL Network. Nicholls was inducted into the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Haliburton County Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
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