One of the major new hires that the Toronto Maple Leafs
made as part of their offseason of change was Andy O'Brien, the longtime personal trainer of Pittsburgh Penguins
captain and future Hall of Fame forward Sidney Crosby
, to lead their strength and conditioning program.
So far, the hiring has gotten good reviews from around NHL circles, including a specifically glowing reception from former Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Erik Johnson
, who reached the mountaintop with the Colorado Avalanche
in 2022.
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Former Stanley Cup Winner Praises Toronto Maple Leafs' Hiring Of Andy O'Brien
According to Johnson, who is now an NHL Insider, the Maple Leafs absolutely made the correct call by hiring O'Brien.
"Whatever the #Leafs paid Andy is worth it x10000. Brilliant guy and I can speak from firsthand experience how good he is. Everything he has you do off the ice translates on ice. Some teams do not hire the best for this position because it is $$$$. Leafs stepped up here," Johnson posted.
Meanwhile, O'Brien has spoken positively about where he feels the organization is going under general manager John Chayka.
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"When John took over, it became clear where the organization was headed. Having someone progressive who understands the nuances of my role was important, and I saw it as a great opportunity to be part of that vision," said O'Brien.
"Relationships matter. It's about creating an environment that helps people be at their best every day," he continued. "The training staff can become a team within the team, and that can make a big difference in helping players perform."
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