The Maple Leafs have spent the offseason reshaping the organization, and the latest move brings in a name with serious weight in hockey performance circles: Andy O’Brien.
Toronto’s hiring of O’Brien overhauls the club’s sports performance department and adds another layer to a broader reset that has already included John Chayka and Mats Sundin coming aboard, Jim Hiller being hired as coach a month later, and the club landing the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NHL entry draft, Gavin McKenna.
O’Brien said he was “incredibly honoured to join the Maple Leafs,” O’Brien said. “From my first discussions with John and the leadership group, it was clear that this organization is dedicated to industry-leading player care and supporting the individual athlete in every way possible.”
The move comes after a rough 2025-26 season for Toronto. The Maple Leafs missed the playoffs, finished eighth in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference. It was their first last-place finish in the Atlantic since 2015-16, the same year they selected Auston Matthews first overall.
The numbers tell the story of a team that had some pieces but not nearly enough balance. Toronto finished 31st in goals against, giving up 3.60 per game.
The penalty kill, oddly enough, was a bright spot, ranking eighth in the league. On offense, the Maple Leafs were in the middle of the pack with 253 goals, which placed them 16th overall.
That’s why the O’Brien hire matters. Toronto is clearly trying to improve fitness and on-ice performance as part of a larger push back toward playoff contention.
John Chayka’s comments on the move were shared in a recent CBC article. “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.”
O’Brien brings 25 years of experience and first joined the NHL in 2005 with the Florida Panthers as head strength and conditioning coach. He leaves Florida after working there since 2021, a stretch that included the Panthers reaching three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and winning the Cup in 2024 and 2025.
He also spent 2015 through 2021 with the Pittsburgh Penguins as director of sports science, during a run that included back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. In private work, he has trained Sidney Crosby and Maple Leafs star John Tavares.
Toronto also added Dr. Craig Slaunwhite as director of health and performance integration. Slaunwhite has worked with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers, as well as the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Jason Martin will serve as head strength and conditioning coach, with Josh Crouse as assistant strength and conditioning coach. Martin spent three years with the Penguins in that same role, while Crouse worked in the QMJHL.
Dr. Jordan Shallow will be the human performance consultant. He has worked with players in the NHL, MLB and NBA.
Toronto finished 28th out of 32 teams last season, and after missing the playoffs and reworking both the front office and coaching staff, the franchise is making it clear it wants to move quickly. The Leafs have not won the Cup since 1967, and the front office appears determined to change the trajectory as fast as it can.
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