Nicholls Trade in Works for 2 Weeks : Hockey: Kings’ center initially says deal that sent him to the New York Rangers is a dumb one.

It was the strangest scene on the longest day of Bernie Nicholls’ life.

Here he was, center for the Kings, standing in a tunnel under Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, among stacked-up tables and chairs, under the stands but in full view of the nation’s media, being told by his owner, Bruce McNall, that he would probably be traded in a few hours.

How had it come to this?

Following is the diary of a trade:

Two weeks ago--The Kings are slumping, having failed to win a game since New Year’s Day. General Manager Rogie Vachon, concerned about his club’s defense, focuses in on the forward positions.

He doesn’t feel they are doing enough backchecking, partially because of lack of speed, partially because of lack of effort. At a general manager’s meeting in Florida, New York Ranger General Manager Neil Smith brings up Nicholls’ name. If he can get the quick forwards he wants, Vachon is interested.

Last Monday--After a team practice, first-year Coach Tom Webster levels with Nicholls, who scored 70 goals and 150 points last season.

“He told he asked management to move me,” Nicholls said. “I played a role on this team and he came in and tried to change it. Why would he want to change what I did?”

Tuesday--The Kings lose to the Buffalo Sabres at the Forum, making them 0-6-1 since the first of the year. McNall blasts his players to the news media and promises a big change. He says he didn’t know at the time the Nicholls deal was in the works.

Thursday--Trade rumors are blowing across the country. Among those mentioned are Luc Robitaille and Nicholls. Robitaille is pulled aside by management and told to disregard the rumors. Nicholls is not.

Nicholls is nervous. He talks to McNall, a personal friend, a golfing buddy and a partner in several racehorses, before the game. McNall tells him, according to Nicholls, that the Rangers have offered Tomas Sandstrom and Ulf Dahlen. McNall assures him that unless the offer changes, there will be no deal.

Friday--Nicholls checks into a hospital for minor bladder surgery. The Rangers have taken Dahlen out of the deal and put in the man the Kings want, Tony Granato. The Kings like it now. But the Rangers still have to send the proposal up the corporate ladder.

What about Nicholls?

Do you send him to the All-Star game knowing he may be traded in the presence of hundreds of reporters, creating a circus atmosphere?

Vachon, still not sure the deal will go through, says nothing, but leaves it up to Nicholls.

Nicholls takes a midnight flight to Pittsburgh.

Saturday, 2 p.m.--The story has broken across the nation: Nicholls for Sandstrom and Granato.

It is rumored there will be a press conference after the All-Star skills competition in Pittsburgh.

Nicholls, having caught up on his sleep in the morning, arrives for the skills competition and finds himself in the eye of the storm.

“Mr. McNall and I are close friends,” Nicholls said with bitterness in his voice. “I think if he knew something, he would come up and tell me it was going to happen at such and such a date, not just come up and tell me out of the clear blue sky.

“Rogie should tell me. He’s been traded before. He knows you go through hell. If I knew I was going to be traded, I would have stayed in L.A. I didn’t have to fly out here. I thought I meant more to him than that.

“Now I’ve got to go all the way back to L. A. and get my stuff.

“The All-Star game is supposed to be fun. It’s pretty hard to have fun when you may get traded in a few hours.”

But will he or won’t he?

“I’m sure,” Nicholls said, “if I go up to Mr. McNall and ask him, he’ll tell me one way or the other.”

Saturday, 3 p.m.--McNall and Nicholls finally meet in the tunnel.

A group of reporters happen upon the pair, but are kept away by King official Scott Carmichael, who does everything but hang up a “Please stay out. Trade in progress” sign.

McNall tells Nicholls nothing is official, but it’s his gut feeling the deal will go through.

Saturday, 5 p.m.--Nicholls doesn’t know it, but while he’s on the ice performing in the skills contest, he becomes a Ranger.

Saturday, 7 p.m.--Taking off his uniform in the Campbell Conference locker room, he still doesn’t know.

“If there is a deal, Rogie is not even here to tell me,” Nicholls said. “That’s disappointing. For nine years, I’ve given this organization everything I had. You’re just a machine. They tell you what to do and where to go.”

“I think it’s a dumb deal for L.A. I can’t believe they are making it. I guess they have smarter businessmen in New York. The guys they (the Kings) are getting play the same role I do. They should have at least gone out and gotten some solid defensemen. They always say we have a weak defense.”

Saturday, 8 p.m.--The Rangers call a news conference at a Pittsburgh hotel to announce the trade, but have to delay it 45 minutes.

Nicholls has still not officially been notified he’s been traded.

Saturday, 9 p.m.--Nicholls and his wife, Heather, arrive at the news conference.

After having been called to McNall’s hotel suite, informed he’s no longer a King, and spoken by phone to Vachon in L. A., Nicholls said he harbors no bad feelings.

Sunday--In the locker room after the All-Star game in Pittsburgh, the bitterness appears gone. Now, there is just an empty feeling.

“It probably won’t sink in,” he said, “until I play a game or go home to New York.”

An equipment boy comes by and asks if Nicholls wants the black pads he wore in the All-Star game. Black is the Kings’ color.

“Forget it,” Nicholls said. “What do I want with black now? I wear blue, the Rangers’ color.”

At a nearby locker, Wayne Gretzky talks to reporters about the trade.

“It’s been a tough two days when your best friend gets traded,” he said. “It was difficult sitting on the bench with Bernie today. I probably won’t realize he’s gone until I check in at the hotel in Vancouver (where the Kings play on Tuesday), go to call Bernie to go out to dinner and realize he’s not there.”

Outside the locker room, McNall talks to Heather. While her husband goes on to Edmonton to join the Rangers, Heather will fly home with McNall on his private plane to pack up some of her belongings.

McNall’s business connection with the Nicholls has been severed. He hopes their friendship has not.