Peckham grows into role of Wichita Thunder captain

Theo Peckham had all the necessary characteristics of a hockey captain, except for age.

Playing in the NHL and the Triple-A American Hockey League for all but four games of the last seven seasons, Peckham was hardly considered for a “C” on his sweater because those go to players with more experience.

There are no Thunder players who match the experience of Peckham, Wichita’s only NHL alumnus. At 26, Peckham, a defenseman, is navigating his captainship carefully even though it’s a role for which he seems perfect.

“It’s definitely been different,” Peckham said. “In the past few years I’ve been more of a younger guy on the team, just learning the ropes. Now, fast forward a little bit and seven years later I’m the old guy. It’s been a little different, but I’ve definitely enjoyed it a lot.”

Peckham played 160 NHL games over five seasons with the Edmonton Oilers and was third in the league in penalty minutes with 198 in 2010-11. He plays so aggressively that it doesn’t seem like he would need to add much verbally to supplement his style.

The captain sweater suits Peckham, though, because of his willingness to speak up and offer more than an on-ice game his teammates can emulate. Peckham (6-foot-2, 234 pounds) contributes beyond his physicality, providing encouragement to those on his side and a sworn enemy to those who aren’t.

“I’m pretty loud,” Peckham said. “I’m pretty notorious for always talking. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. I know a lot of my teammates in the past who have gotten pretty annoyed with me. As far as being a vocal guy, I didn’t have to change much.”

Naming Peckham captain wasn’t a drawn-out choice for Thunder coach Kevin McClelland, possibly because they’re easily comparable.

Both wore No. 24 for Edmonton and are known for racking up penalty minutes – McClelland for fighting to protect teammate Wayne Gretzky, Peckham after finding his niche as a hard-hitting defenseman.

Peckham describes his on-ice demeanor as “mean,” and lives up to that billing. He’s often first to jump into a scuffle that didn’t previously involve him and will get in the face of opponents who are jawing with his teammates.

He’s a throwback, maybe not quite back as far as McClelland’s era, when fighting was a bigger part of the sport, but at least to when adversaries were more combative.

“You get out there and guys, before faceoffs, are talking and laughing,” Peckham said. “You kind of miss that killer instinct from maybe like 10 years ago, when teams actually hated each other. I’ve always tried to show that in my game that I’m not your friend out here. To have that edge like, ‘He won’t even talk to me,’ that’s a positive in this game.

“We can be friends after, but right now I’m trying to put you through the glass.”

Peckham isn’t mean all the time, though. In one of Wichita’s first home games, he immediately consoled fellow defenseman Dan Milan after Milan inadvertently knocked in an opponent goal with his skate.

Peckham is also nice when stakes are higher. During a road trip to Rapid City, S.D., this month, he saw a man injure himself after falling on ice. Peckham helped move the man inside and waited with him until medical personnel arrived.

“I was walking in the snow, and we were just going to a restaurant for lunch, and I saw a guy laying down. There was a woman helping, and I just ran over and was seeing if I could help out. Honestly, I don’t think it was that big of a deal,” Peckham said.

“It was just something that anybody should have done for anybody. It’s kind of getting blown up and people are saying thank you, but it shouldn’t be as big of a deal as it is. You see someone bleeding on the sidewalk, you help them out.”

Everybody might not have reacted the same way as Peckham, though, and everybody doesn’t possess the intangibles a captain must carry.

“Anytime you get a chance to wear the ‘C,’ it’s definitely a huge honor,” Peckham said. “… I’ve been around long enough to know what’s expected from a captain. It’s been a little bit of an adjustment, but it’s good. I came down here trying to get my career back on track, and having the ‘C’ on your sweater means that every day you have to set a good example.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2014 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Peckham grows into role of Wichita Thunder captain."