Former Oilers defenceman reveals off ice issues derailed his career
In 2006 the Edmonton Oilers drafted Theo Peckham in the third round, a defenceman who showed real promise and quickly made the NHL, only to fall off as fast as he came up.
In a new interview with Jason Gregor, Peckham explained there were off-ice issues that made him just not mentally prepared to play professional hockey.
Peckham pointed to his family life being an issue for him growing up, and it led to him being unable to keep up his training with his lifestyle. He understands now that his career took a nasty turn because he was unprepared, and now tries to mentor others to avoid the mistakes he made.
Peckham had an incredible 19 year old season in junior the year after the Oilers drafted him, leading to an early NHL debut with the team in the 2007-08 season. After bouncing between the AHL and NHL for a few years, Peckham played 71 games and 54 games between 2010-2012 with limited success. It resulted in him being bounced back to the ECHL, then to professional European hockey shortly afterward. He clearly had the raw talent to make the NHL early in his career, but just couldn't make the most of the opportunity.
It's tough to hear off-ice issues prevent any player from reaching their full potential, especially after the fact with their own recognizance of those problems. Oilers fans will wish all the best to Peckham in his retirement from professional hockey and the next chapter of his life.
Source for Peckham Stats: HockeyDB
| POLL | ||
Were you a fan of Theo Peckham on the Oilers? | ||
| Yes, he had talent | 55 | 34.8 % |
| No, wasn't a fan | 85 | 53.8 % |
| See Results | 18 | 11.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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