Maple Leafs reportedly hire Sidney Crosby's longtime trainer Andy O'Brien

The Maple Leafs have reportedly added Andy O'Brien, longtime trainer of Sidney Crosby and fitness specialist to their strength and conditioning staff.

O'Brien has been a strength and conditioning coach for over three decades and has worked with the likes of not only Crosby but also Nathan MacKinnon. He spent five seasons with the Penguins as Director of Sports Science & Performance.

Prior to that he was a high-performance consultant for the Tri-City Americans and had two stints with the Florida Panthers, first from 2005-09 then from 2021-25 where he won two Stanley Cups.

O'Brien's work with Crosby and MacKinnon explains why Toronto targeted him

Now he'll have a new team to monitor and make sure are as healthy as can be - the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto Sun reporter Steve Simmons announced they had reportedly hired O'Brien as their new strength and conditioning coach:

Maple Leafs have hired Sidney Crosby's longtime trainer, Andy O'Brien, as their new strength and conditioning coach. An irony here: O'Brien used to be Hayley Wickenheiser's trainer back in the day.

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O'Brien is known for his athlete-first approach where he tailors specific regimens and routines that fit each player best. He's also keen on nutrition which is one of the key factors in managing proper health as a hockey player - and uses every facet of technology and advanced metrics to help monitor performance.

Toronto overall is going to benefit, but for the stars like Matthews who is just coming off a serious knee injury - he is going to have a trainer who is dedicated to keeping him healthier and more prepared for the season ahead.

Toronto's latest hirings target preparation, recovery and longevity

While there's been a signing lull for the Maple Leafs on the player front, they have been active in changing the front office still. They just recently hired three new members to work the scouting and research departments, and now O'Brien makes it the fourth in less than a week.

But this is one of the more important roles that the Maple Leafs needed to fill, and O'Brien is one of the best. He comes highly regarded, has the experience necessary to keep the current Maple Leafs healthy while also preparing the future of the team that caters to their strengths.

O'Brien can't prevent injuries as they are a natural part of the game, but he can at least keep the team as fit as possible and mitigate the risk of injuries as a whole as they grind through a now 84-game season.

This is a hiring that the Maple Leafs made with the intention of keeping their group healthy for the tough road ahead, but it'll hopefully help create a more perseverant and enduring team that can weather storms other teams could not.

It's notable given his work with previous stars and keeping them fit, and with Toronto trying to ensure Matthews is at his best then bringing in O'Brien was a savvy move. It doesn't guarantee the injuries won't happen, but Toronto has a voice who can help better prepare and manage their workload going forward.

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