The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a very busy offseason of changes within the organization, both on and off the ice, and on Monday that continued with another new hire.
It was announced by the team that their Sport Performance department will now be led by Andy O’Brien — the longtime strength trainer of Sidney Crosby — who was hired as Vice President and will oversee all areas of the department’s operations.
Maple Leafs GM John Chayka spoke about their excitement to bring O’Brien into the organization:
“We are thrilled to welcome Andy and his sports performance team to the Toronto Maple Leafs and look forward to the impact they will have on the organization. Providing every resource possible to help our players perform at their best is the highest priority at every level of the organization. Our ownership group has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to investing in player care, the player experience, and the resources required to help our players succeed every day. We will continue to invest in every opportunity to maximize the development and performance of every player. Andy’s record as an innovator and winner, coupled with his values, philosophy and vision, are wholly aligned with what we are building here in Toronto,”
The 48-year-old O’Brien is the founder and president of O’Brien Sport and has trained some of hockey’s biggest stars, including Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and John Tavares, among others.
Some have already been quick to point out that Crosby is entering the final year of his current contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and wondered whether he’d want to join O’Brien in Toronto. That almost certainly won’t be happening given Crosby’s loyalty to the Penguins and the city of Pittsburgh; however, that doesn’t diminish the impact of the hiring.
The Maple Leafs dealt with a plethora of injuries last season, so finding a way to keep their players healthy and strong is extremely important moving forward, and that’s certainly something O’Brien can and will help with.
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