For Bernie, Life Has New Perspective : Ex-King Nicholls Was Low Key About Last Month’s Cancer Scare

When doctors told Bernie Nicholls he had a tumor in his bladder, he was sure it was cancer.

Perhaps it was his doctor’s dire prognosis, or the history of cancer in Nicholls’ family. No matter what the reason, the death of his baby boy years ago had steeled the San Jose Sharks forward for the crisis.

His fears, however, were soon allayed: The tumor was benign.

“You put life in perspective when something like that comes calling,” Nicholls said. “It shows you that life is so much bigger than the day-to-day problems.”

Nicholls’ concerns last month were kept quiet, even from his mother. Reporters were told he was out for the season because of hernia surgery.

His teammates were told the truth shortly before the tumor was removed on March 15. Nicholls had the hernia surgery--originally planned for the off-season--at the same time.

Teammate Tony Granato was one of the first people Nicholls told. Just over a year ago, Granato himself had surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain and wasn’t expected to play again.

Granato not only played again, but he was on the All-Star team this season and nominated for the Masterton Trophy, NHL’s annual award for the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

“I was nervous and he was nervous, because he’s a great friend. It was a hard week for all of us,” Granato said.

It started a month ago when Nicholls noticed blood in his urine. He went to Stanford University, where a doctor discovered the tumor. The doctor told Nicholls there was a 95% chance it was cancerous, and surgery was scheduled soon after.

Nicholls, 35, told only his wife and a few friends, before going to the team and asking everyone to respect his privacy.

“My mom’s family has a history of cancer, so I didn’t want to tell her,” he said. “I thought I would tell her when I got the results of the biopsy back. There was no need for her to worry if we weren’t 100% sure.”

His coaches and teammates, meanwhile, were stunned. It was a blow to a team that was sliding out of playoff contention.

Nicholls had 12 goals and 33 assists in 65 games with San Jose this season and was regarded as a mentor and role model for the team’s young players.

On Oct. 20 against St. Louis, Nicholls played his 1,000th NHL game; on Jan. 13, he had his 700th NHL assist on a Viktor Kozlov goal against Phoenix; and his Jan. 30 goal at Calgary moved him past Bobby Hull to 26th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list. Nicholls has 1,179 career points.

“Bernie’s the ultimate competitor. He has played even though his ankle has bothered him for part of the season. It never stopped him,” said Sharks coach Al Sims. “When the cancer issue came up, you knew it was something he would come out on top of because he’s such a fighter.”

Nicholls said his teammates didn’t say much to him about the tumor, but he doesn’t blame them. “What do you say to a teammate who might have cancer?”

After getting the good news on March 19, Nicholls started to talk about what he had been through. His fear began to fade, and he started to put the experience in perspective.

Nicholls lost his son, Jack, several years ago. The boy, who was born prematurely with Down syndrome, died just six days before his first birthday.

“The possibility that I might have cancer didn’t change my life, but it made me think,” said Nicholls, who’ll return to the Sharks next season. “Maybe as an athlete you mentally prepare yourself better for the things that come at you, I don’t know. Maybe it was just experience. But I am grateful.”