Edmonton Sports Writer's Obsfucation #1,731: Theo Peckham's Weight Problem

On Friday, long-time Edmonton sports writer and Oilers' beat reporter Jim Matheson published an entry in his "Oil Spills" blog entitled "Expensive mistake for ex Edmonton Oilers’ defenceman Theo Peckham." In the entry, Matheson focuses in on Peckham's $500,000 "big gulp", the pay cut he took to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks after appearing in only four games for the Oilers in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. He also focuses on Peckham's $200,000 AHL salary, one of the largest deals in the AHL.

Matheson reports that Peckham's limited playing time was due to management's annoyance at him reporting to training camp 15 pounds overweight, 240 pounds rather than 225. Matheson notes "Peckham has had issues with his calorie intake in the summer months, but he was a solid, workman when he played." This isn't burying the lede, this is ignoring the lede completely.

Matheson's note implies that Peckham's battle with his weight was an ongoing issue, not something that suddenly sprung up during the 2012 off-season. If that's the case, this is the first Oilers' fans have heard of any sort of ongoing calorie war being lost by Peckham. While the entire media pool reported on Peckham's rotund figure in training prior to the season, none of them mentioned Matheson's noted "issues." Now that Peckham is gone, Matheson turns into a behind-the-scenes, dogged investigative journalist.

Maybe the spectre of facing Peckham every day in the locker room once again forced the valiant scribes into submission. Of course, imagine the reaction and reporting if it was Ales Hemsky who had the weight problem.