The Career of Bernie Nicholls

Famously traded the day before the 1990 all star game, I thought it would be fun to make a video on his long career.
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[@September2004]

70 goals and 80 assists are some really nice round numbers.

[@markopuranen5910]

One of only 5 players to ever score 150 points in a season. That's impressive.

[@SverigeiSverige]

And four of them did it that season. Only Esposito who didn't. 😉

[@dustinsindledecker154]

1989 was a great year.

[@jesuislours2798]

And 6 with mcdavid

[@JouQo]

@@jesuislours2798 and mcdavid will never win a stanley cup

[@yonibien3504]

One of 6, Connor mcdavid 2023

[@tomchamberlain4329]

NHL '95. For some reason Nicholls was the deadliest sniper in the game. Trade for him every time, he's always the guy in the right place to put the puck in the net. I haven't played Chel since '99 lol.

[@brentclark8276]

I grew up playing hockey in LA. Bernie Nichols was well loved there. They called him "The Pumpernickle"

[@joebarr725]

Loved "The Pumper" Nicholls when he scored.

[@mikeadams4605]

Bernie was also a very accomplished Fastpitch softball player during the offseason across Ontario. Played 3rd base and was a very solid hitter.....funny that back then you would often see NHL'ers playing baseball or fastpitch softball during the summer.

[@Berubium]

I remember watching Nicholls play in one of those greats of the game charity games about 7-8 years after he retired up in Fort St. John & I was impressed at how well he could still skate & move! He was no doubt a good player, but wow was he great alongside Gretzky! One of only 5 to ever hit 150 in a season & surprisingly still finished 4th in scoring that year!!!

[@FischerFan]

Bernie is one of my all-time favourite Los Angeles Kings hockey players. I had the pleasure of meeting him four and a half years ago and, although he had a flight to catch, he still gave his time for me to have a nice conversation with him and, of course, get his autograph. I told him how eternally grateful I still am to him and his 1982 Kings teammates for knocking off Gretzky and the hot-shot Oilers. I asked him who his baseball team was during his years in L.A. and he smiled and said, 'Oh, the Dodgers!'. During his first few seasons in L.A.; Bernie played in the shadow of one of hockey's premier scoring lines. Bernie was to the Kings what Danny Gare was to the Buffalo Sabres. Bernie's numbers are more than adequate enough to place him in the HHOF.

[@wesleyano99]

Love the career videos, THG! Only became a hardcore hockey fan about five years ago so watching these videos is a nice historical viewpoint. Your videos have helped a ton the past couple days as I await a COVID test and am quarantining due to being under the weather. Appreciate your dedication every day!

[@kenreeves2710]

Broadway Bernie's a great guy. He played golf with me & my sister in Greenwich when he was with the Rangers. Was a great day, got lots of pics & autographs. Hope he gets into the HoF soon.

[@nickvroman8422]

Ty, one of my favorite all time players :)

[@DavidMartinez-cq3hx]

As a longtime Sharks fan I always liked Bernie Nicholls. Even though it was at the end of his career and he was not the same player as 10 years prior he was still a important part of those late 90's Sharks teams. I will always remember Bernie Nicholls standing up for teammate Tony Granato and going after Ed Jovanovski after he crosschecked Tony Granato in the head after he had brain surgery the season before. Bernie instantly went after Jovanovski and if you remember Jovanovski was a big dude. With those kind of numbers you would think he would be in the HOF but I do understand the 80's were a high scoring Era.

[@michaelrenaud5861]

Thank you for still doing the career videos. They're my favourite of your videos

[@audibletapehiss3764]

I don't even care if he makes the HOF. I was there for several of his consecutive hat tricks when they first called him up in '82, he came out to work with my PeeWee team and was unbelievably cool to me. Couple things - in the season and a half with Gretz, he was most frequently used as a winger on Gretzky's line, hence the offensive explosion. He'd been behind Marcel for years and then (the good version of) Jimmy Carson. He and Gretz were thick as thieves and Bernie on the wing was like a weight had been lifted. The other thing - he was a very emotional player, and the trades and injuries took a toll on him. Probably my all time favorite player.

[@matthewdaley746]

Jimmy Carson was another player that will only be remembered for being part of an infamous trade, just really unfortunate.

[@dr3putt62]

Glad you done a career vid on Nicholls !

[@tplcrown]

His “Pumpernichol” celebrations after he would score made me a big fan of Bernie Nichols! 👍👏

[@BillDalby]

Bernie played jrb one yr in woodstock Ontario he still holds the teams rookie records 41goals 38 assists

[@murray1978]

That Kings jersey is absolutely magnificent. The best looking jersey of all time!

[@primozvilfan2361]

Bernie Nicholls was part of a Kings' coaching stuff during the 2011/12 season (and playoffs). Still his name is not engraved ...

[@audibletapehiss3764]

Yes, as a skills coach/advisor to Kopitar and others. Ironically, the exact same type of person who is missing from their development staff right now.

[@merc340sr]

Bernie Nicholls is probably one of the most underestimated players in the NHL. Playing for LA for so many years, people in Eastern Canada like myself barely saw him play. His name doesn't draw as much attention as the name of other stars. 475 goals in the NHL is excellent!

[@gregcub3d]

great guy, always did his "pumper nicholl" after goals and in the process riled the other team up, even if he wasn't doing it to make them mad... took years before he stopped getting targeted by teams for just that move after they saw him do it all the time iirc

[@warrenbanks5201]

I'd be interested to see all the players who scored at least a point a game in their careers but are not in the hall of fame.

[@eirikrdberg1161]

Great vid: other suggestions. RIP Doug Wickenheiser the nr.1 pick who was good, but had so much Pressure in mtl. Became a good Blue. Peter Stastny, Oilers 1990 weapon petr klima, Nick fotiu, Chico Resch, drug players like pre Tkachuk little madman pest Theo Fleury, the great Peter Stastny and his two brothers. Dave Taylor.

[@matthewdaley746]

He scored the goal that essentially cost the Flames the 1986 Cup, Petr Klima would do the same for the 1990 Bruins, really bizarre.

[@timcoffey5927]

Just got two bernie jerseys - pre gretzky and post Marcel and Charlie he was the man

[@wilseph1]

Beast with the Kings in the 80's!

[@theomega311]

I got one for you (two technically), would love to see Steve Sullivan or Scotty Walker! As a huge Preds fan it goes unnoticed how big Scotty Walker and Cliff Ronning were for us

[@ToddCrispies]

Big? May have been fan favorites but the Preds really have accomplished nothing. At all.

[@kencook4956]

Great review. Well done.

[@davesmilie3082]

Even in the twilight of his career, Bernie made an impact in San Jose. Send him to the hall!

[@markko17]

That 1980 draft was a pretty good one for the Kings. Larry Murphy, Jim Fox, Bernie Nicholls, Daryl Evans. Also, good trivia question that usually people miss: Who holds the Kings record for most goals in a season? Most people say Dionne or Gretzky, but it's Bernie with his 70 goal season.

[@elguapo5820]

I always loved when he scored for the Kings he would do the pumper Nickel

[@SverigeiSverige]

You forgot 10A Stanley Cup 95! He had 11A & 12P. Thanks for the video! 👍

[@GalacticWrestlingFederation]

Broadway Bernie. Will never forget his contributions in bringing Messier to NY and eventually a long LONG awaited Stanley Cup Championship 🏆

[@matthewdaley746]

Yeah, too bad they threw away, Tony Amonte, Mike Gartner, and, Todd Marchant, for a collection of unnecessary depth trades, that cost them a, possible, dynasty, no question about it.

[@GalacticWrestlingFederation]

@@matthewdaley746 lol I always laugh that Glenn Anderson and his 30 something games as a Ranger makes him a franchise legend but a guy like Gartner and his over 170 goals for the club is completely forgotten.

[@matthewdaley746]

@@GalacticWrestlingFederation He's, also, in the HOF only because he has six rings, although, I kind of respect him for, not, wearing out his NHL welcome to get the two goals he would have needed for 500, Craig MacTavish is another, "legend."

[@raymondleemanpaper]

I always remembered him being one of the top scorers in NHL. I thought he should be in the HOF already!

[@ianbaillie6378]

I grew up as a Rangers fan in NYC. I thought it was criminal that we traded Granato and Sandstrom for Nicholls. He was much better having Gretzky feed him all those points, and it stripped away 2 very promising players from our team right when we needed them the most. Yes, I know he was instrumental in making the Messier trade happen, but I think the Rangers could have gotten to that Cup sooner with Granato and Sandstrom on the team. We did need Boooooooooooooook, however. Probably could have gotten him for a 6 pack of Molson bottles, and a couple unopened packs of O-Pee-Chees.

[@matthewdaley746]

You know who you didn't need, all of those players you traded, Tony Amonte, Mike Gartner, and, Todd Marchant, to get, the players you acquired, didn't win you the Cup, and, losing those players meant you wouldn't win another, awful.

[@jasongraham1651]

I think he did win a Stanley Cup with LA...as a coach (?) or something like that if memory serves. Good for him.

[@dealy9268]

Can you do a career video on Mike Garner? One of my favorite players of all time. Great player and person. It's a shame he was traded at the deadline in 1994 before My Rangers won the cup. He should have a ring!!!!

[@dealy9268]

@Leetch 2 USA Awesome!

[@rockybalboa1847]

Shannon ... have you ever done a video on Pete Peeters ... I watched him thru junior in Medicine Hat.. he had some good years in Philadelphia and Boston

[@matthewdaley746]

Unfortunately, today, he's only remembered for losing, the 1980 Final, and, The Easter Epic.

[@richcerasale8909]

Bernie career stats are good but no winning any major awards or winning the stanley cup probably has kept him out of the hall of fame

[@Mjolnher9]

Couldn't believe the Kings traded him to the Rangers. I am sure with Gretzky they would have easily had another few 70 goal seasons from him. Really bad trade that made no sense at the time.

[@matthewdaley746]

Made more sense than trading Wayne Gretzky to the Kings because of his wife's, "promising," acting career, there's no question.

[@hotdogwater7037]

he was my favorite player as a kid, but there are better 2nd-line centers: messier was a 2nd-line center on the oilers, and ron francis was a 2nd-line center on the penguins

[@yogibearstie]

Bernie must have some great stories about his life in LA

[@whaleoilbeefhooked3892]

If Bernie would have changed his last name to "Dollars", he'd be HOF bound. As Howie Meeker often commented, "...he's down on the ice looking for Nickels".

[@yogibearstie]

If you want to shocked read about HOF Larry Murphy being traded by LA, and he was already great.

[@clarkondrums2112]

When a 2nd line centre is not in the HOF after scoring 70 goals and 150 points. Second. Line. Centre. He did well.

[@Goaricon1]

I don't remember him playing with the Ranger at all. 😆

[@tonttaana8930]

That trade a Bernie for Granato and Sandstrom seems weird to me!!. Allthough Kings Got depth on the wing but losing a good second line center really hurt the team along the way with that Gretzky era in LA. Nichols was the best center that Gretzky had behind him. Allthough the trade look good because of the 1993 final appereance.

[@matthewdaley746]

He later would be a key piece when the Red Wings won the Cup in 1997.

[@waynedenton4209]

Don't know why I always identify Nicholls with the Rangers even though he only played a season and a half with them.

[@nascarvintage17]

Bernie Nicholls was actually an underrated player. In 88/89, I remind you, he had literal better stats than Yzerman, with 70 goals, 80 assists, 150 points, +30 +/-. It's a shame; we had an excellent player, but for a very short period. "The Pumper" "I have an opinion on Nicholls. Firstly, I believe his 150-point season was due to the fact that opposing players focused on players like Robitaille or Gretzky, leaving Nicholls free to perform. The following season, teams took Nicholls seriously and worked hard to shut him down. Furthermore, I sincerely believe that if he had stayed with the Kings, his stats would have been more balanced and wouldn't have declined year after year. Of course, this is just my personal point of view."

[@Gagne87Fixxer]

About the 1994 playoffs, when it was mentioned that the Rangers eliminated Devils, all I could think of is the announcer going nuts and repeating “Matteau”!

[@matthewdaley746]

All I could think of was the Rangers trying to win the Game, 1-0, if they were playing anyone besides a happy-to-be-there Vancouver Canucks team, they would have lost, period.

[@kurtwpg]

I think if you can subtract someone's best season and say they aren't remotely close to the HoF, then they shouldn't be in it. The 70-80-150 is remarkable, but everything else is kind of what you'd expect from the second best player on a non-elite team.

[@kylestoddart]

I haven't heard this guys name in time. Could have sworn he was a North Star, the guy with Modano in the Mighty Ducks cameo.

[@matthewdaley746]

Basil McRae.

[@kylestoddart]

@@matthewdaley746 that's who it was eh? Thanks

[@matthewdaley746]

@@kylestoddart My Honor.

[@MultiKalmer]

Top 10 seasons without playing in All Star Game. How about a list like that?

[@BoyNamedSue4]

Didn’t realize he played this long.

[@nopepper14]

My boy

[@seanwebb605]

So just a chronology of his career and points?

[@nonohockey]

Maple Leafs waive Nick Ritchie

[@diggergeensen860]

I thought he won a cup in New Jersey? And for some reason I forgot that he was in Edmonton for a minute. He played during what was in my opinion the best era of hockey the NHL ever had. It was ruined by removing the physical nature of the game, the character players not being allowed to be themselves during interviews, and the changes to equipment. The league needs to go back to wooden sticks, and goalies who aren’t dressed up like the Michelin man already!

[@rocknjock9300]

Bernie is on of nicest guys. If it wasn’t for injuries he would have gotten 500 gowls

[@janellemaynait]

Nicolas cage doppelganger

[@sdeepj]

Had he scored 500 goals, he would’ve been in Hall, or at least there would be more talk of him being in the Hall. 500 goals can erase the “he didn’t win any awards” argument

[@matthewdaley746]

Ask Jeremy Roenprick about that, Dino Ciccarelli was just as bad, if, not, worse, the only thing that got him enshrined was passing 600 career goals.

[@sdeepj]

@@matthewdaley746 Roenick and Cicerelli have been discussed on whether they should go into the Hall. I’ve seen debates on whether they should go. Personally, they should. But not scoring 500 doesn’t give Nichols a leg to stand on

[@matthewdaley746]

@@sdeepj Dino Ciccarelli's reputation as a terrible teammate, plus, no Cups, meant that he wasn't getting in the first time, 600 goals gave The Committee no choice, however, Jeremy Roenprick isn't getting in until after his death, if ever, no question.

[@khaotix64]

I'm tired of seeing players go first ballot when they don't deserve it while Bernie still isn't in the hall of fame...

[@Leafgreen1976]

He'd make a lot of money today.

[@bradgilker-m9t]

should be in the hall. period

[@volodja99]

I think he was also 50goals in 50games in 1989, which is one of the most impressive achievements in NHL. Pls correct me if I am wrong. Also Gretzky said that fastest 50 goals is the record he values the most.

[@smithryansmith]

No, sorry, only Maurice Richard, Mike Bossy, Wayne Gretzky (3 times), Mario Lemeiux, and Brett Hull (twice) have scored 50 in 50.

[@SverigeiSverige]

@@smithryansmith Cam Neely scored 50 in 44 (93-94).

[@SverigeiSverige]

Nicholls had 50 goals in 51 games.

[@SverigeiSverige]

@@smithryansmith Jari Kurri had 50 in 50 games 1985. Mogilny had 50 in 46 games 1993. Lemieux x3 89, 93, 96.

[@smithryansmith]

@@SverigeiSverige The nhl officially recognises only those 5 as they say you must score 50 in the first 50 of the season. their rules, not mine.

[@weaselworm8681]

1200 points? Yeah even if he wasn’t a dominate player the cumulative stats equal HoF

[@craigusselman546]

Bernie was a very good player HOF maybe not sure he was fun to watch when I was a kid.

[@dreww47]

How do you score 70 goals in a season that’s insane …

[@jeffreykaufmann2867]

It was a fluke cause after that he only had one 30+ Goal Season with 39 goals. And he never scored 50 goals before the 70 Goal Season.

[@TylerMorganShow]

Id vote hof

[@markpalio5786]

Lost ALOT of Respect for Him when He Cross Checked Kovalev Across the Head WHILE Sitting on Top of Him in the 94 Conf Finals. Also He was Suspended 5 gms in 1988 for Stick Swinging Incident. He Seemed to be A Jekyll and Hyde Personality.

[@matthew7306]

Nicolas Cage could play Bernie Nicholls

[@peterroberts4415]

wow they do look similar

[@ripapa6355]

imagine scoring 150 points and only being 4th in scoring. Or 70 goals, but being 2nd. 🤣

[@bobbieraine1013]

Hey man, Nichols never had 2 points in 95 playoffs.

[@Knowledge-vb7ey]

Fig

[@peterolbrisch1653]

HOF? yes

[@deadheads1352]

Well this was just sad.

[@scotsaul]

He wasn't respected even while putting up big offensive numbers. Never seen as "the guy"

[@TheHockeyGuy]

That's because he was never the guy.

[@scotsaul]

@@TheHockeyGuy , yeah exactly. He was fun to watch, but was never "the guy".

[@Detector1977]

Traded from the Kings just before they got to the finals. Traded from the rangers just before they won the cup Traded to the oilers just after they won the cup Traded from the Devils just before they won the cup And NEVER played in a cup final in his career....

[@dustinsindledecker154]

Damn such bad luck.

[@matthewdaley746]

Yeah, he was Dave Andreychuk, minus the happy ending, line one of his obit will definitely be that he was part of the Mark Messier trade.

[@matthewdaley746]

@@dustinsindledecker154 You bet.

[@scooterelway9191]

who else only knows bernie because of Hockey Ultimate Team ?

[@bennrubinr3865]

like basaball hof wannabe