Less than a week after the departure of strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar, the Pittsburgh Penguins have laid the groundwork for a new start in their off-ice training department.
Joining the club in a newly created position will be Andy O’Brien. O’Brien has been the personal trainer of many NHL athletes – including the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby – and was the strength and conditioning coach of the Florida Panthers from 2005-2009.
O’Brien, 37, will hold the position of director of sport science and performance, and will oversee the Penguins off-ice training staff.
“We want to look at all aspects of how we train and prepare our players, how we can maximize performance and hopefully minimize injuries,” said Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford in a statement. “We want to make sure they receive the best information available regarding training, nutrition, rehab and getting proper amounts of rest during a long season.”
O’Brien is expected to closely work with former Penguins winger Gary Roberts, who will oversee training at the new UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex that is opening in August.
“I’m excited to work with an organization that recognizes the importance of training, nutrition and recovery, and is committed to an innovative approach,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to establish a methodology around how we develop and care for our players, and will work closely to study that system and make it better year by year. ”
The Penguins will hire a strength and conditioning coach that will work under O’Brien and travel with the team.
Also joining the staff will be sports massage therapist Andreas Hüppi. Hüppi, 45, is a native of Switzerland. He has 22 years of experience working in the Swiss hockey league and, more notably, with Team Canada. He was their therapist during their 2014 Olympic gold medal run.
