Nicholls’ Duck Interest Might Go Unrequited

Free agent Bernie Nicholls has made no secret of his desire to play for the Mighty Ducks and center for wingers Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. But Nicholls may want to play for the Ducks more than Duck executives want him.

Frustrated over the club’s apparent lack of interest in signing him, Nicholls scheduled a meeting today with representatives of the San Jose Sharks to discuss a tentative offer they have made to him.

However, Nicholls--whose Brea home would be a short commute from the Pond of Anaheim--hasn’t given up on the Ducks. He said Thursday he had told General Manager Jack Ferreira he would give the Ducks a chance to match any offers he gets.

Nicholls, 35, has had offers from the St. Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars that would pay him about $2 million a year, a range he hopes the Ducks would find comfortable. Nicholls earned $1.2 million with the Chicago Blackhawks last season.

“I tried to get hold of Anaheim. Last week they said they’re not interested, which was kind of disappointing, because I want to play here,” said Nicholls, who had 19 goals and 60 points in 59 games with the Blackhawks last season and has averaged more than a point a game in his career. “I don’t know what they’re doing. I think they’re waiting to see what I get offered from somewhere else. . . .

“I’m not asking for $3 million. They’re figuring I want to play here and will take less money. San Jose is every bit as nice as here. But I like Ron [Wilson, the Ducks’ coach] and I like their team. I think they want to wait and come in cheaper. That’s not the way to get me. It’s not like I’m coming in at $3 million or $2.5 million. I’m just asking for what my value is.”

The Ducks’ sole venture into this summer’s free-agent market came this week, when they signed winger Warren Rychel to a three-year, $1.5-million deal to replace departed free agent Todd Ewen. Ferreira said he isn’t worried about losing Nicholls to another team--and if Ferreira is interested in Nicholls at all, he’s hiding it well.

“I can’t expect him to wait. I told that to Mike [Barnett, Nicholls’ agent],” Ferreira said. “I’m just waiting on some other things.

“I’m looking in a different direction first. Hopefully, that will be resolved in a couple of days. I’m looking at a lot of different things. They might all come through or they might all fall through.”

Said Nicholls: “The Ducks did a lot of good things at the end of last year and I think it’s time for them to make the next step. Other than Colorado, they can be the second-best team [in the conference]. They all want to grow together and I think they’ve got a lot of good players.

“But sometimes the way they approach it is so slow. I’d like to stay here.”