The New York Islanders announced this week that Bryan Marshall has been appointed Director of Player Performance, while Andrew Kacsor joins as Strength and Conditioning Coach. The moves are designed to reinforce the franchise’s development pipeline across the NHL, AHL and prospect teams.
Marshall arrives with a deep résumé that includes 13 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he honed his approach to athlete development. He also founded Milo Athletics, a high‑performance training centre in Mississauga that has attracted elite players from across North America.
Kacsor brings a blend of North American and European experience, having served as head performance coach at Muskoka Hockey and later at Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL, a team he helped guide to a championship in 2019. His work with Joe Erdos will focus on blending strength work with movement science to improve explosiveness and consistency.
Mathieu Darche, the Islanders’ general manager, praised the new hires for their proven track records and their ability to mentor players throughout the season. He said the expanded performance department will give the club a deeper bench of expertise as it seeks greater resilience and competitiveness.
Together, Marshall and Kacsor are expected to reshape the Islanders’ approach to player preparation, integrating private‑sector insights with the organization’s long‑standing hockey traditions. Their combined influence may set a new standard for how the team builds strength, reduces injury risk and sustains peak performance.