2025 TLN Maple Leafs Prospect Rankings: #14 Ryan Tverberg

A year ago, The Leafs Nation crew was singing the praises of Ryan Tverberg. The diamond in the rough 7th round pick who excelled in the NCAA and kept the good times going with a strong AHL debut. We ranked him 8th out of all Leafs prospects at a time when there were more prospects around to be excited about. This year, the prospect pool is shallower, and Tverberg has slid from 8th to 14th. The questions are obvious, what happened, and can he turn it around?

There’s not a lot of analysis required when it comes to a 21 point drop. Tverberg didn’t produce and producing is one of the things that the Leafs need him to do.

You can point to the fact that there was an influx of players like Nikita Grebenkin, Fraser Minten, Alex Nylander, etc. that all received top six ice time ahead of him after getting an opportunity to play a bigger role in 2023-24. That’s fair. You can talk about the importance of rounding out Tverberg’s game in all situations so that he can serve a bottom six purpose on the Leafs if called upon. The Marlies went from a 249 goals for team in 2023-24 to a 209 GF team in 2024-25, offence is down across the board. Sure. The reality is that no matter how you slice it, that drop off in points equals a drop off in excitement around Tverberg and any progress that was made in other areas of his game came with a steep price on what was already working.

At 23 years of age and in the final year of his entry deal, there is unquestionably a need to see some progress back towards the offence in Tverberg’s game. He’s still a hard worker, he still has speed to burn, but without attention grabbing numbers in the AHL and as a seventh round pick made under Dubas and Clark, Tverberg faces an uphill battle.

At the height of Tverberg’s success in 2023-24, Steven Ellis wrote this about him:

Tverberg plays like a bulldog – he is always moving, bringing the energy, and has the muscle mass to make it work. He’s especially good when fighting for loose pucks around the net and pushing defenders out of the way. He’s not going to wow you with quick hands, though.
His lack of creativity will typecast him into a bottom-line role, and that’s fine. He’s never shown any signs of being anything more than that, and the Leafs need more guys like him. Does he have enough talent with the puck at an NHL level to earn a full-time gig? Scouts aren’t so sure.

The backslide offensively could be more purposeful and rather an acknowledgement of where he’ll fit in the organization. If the natural creatively and offensive skill isn’t there and most of his offensive numbers to date being a result of being a plucky, stick-to-itiveness type of player, embracing a checking role on the Marlies to prepare him for a similar role as a Leafs call up is valid and while Tverberg may lack the size that Leafs want in their lineup, effort/whatever it takes approach can keep his name on the depth chart. Realistically, the Leafs want to see the offence too and a Leafs roster that is overflowing with bottom six role players that will block even the top Leafs prospects from potentially getting a look in the NHL this season, Tverberg’s 2025-26 season is more about proving that he is deserving of a contract renewal to continue with the Marlies rather than pushing for the Leafs this season.

Ultimately it seems like whatever step Tverberg takes it will be more about proving his worth to another organization rather than to the Leafs. The best case scenario for the Leafs is that he regains some of his offensive form and that carries some weight as a throw-in prospect or as an opportunity to make an AHL trade that addresses a need on the Marlies. Ellis isn’t wrong when it comes to there being callup/depth potential for Tverberg but the Leafs organization is clogged with experience that fits Brad Treliving’s preferences and with at least six forwards ahead of him on the callup sheet doesn’t bode well nor does potential makeup of the Marlies roster and it could be a fight for icetime this season.

It shouldn’t be all doom and gloom when it comes to the outlook for Tverberg. The Leafs are still an organization that are short on prospects and we are only one season removed from considering the 2020 seventh-rounder one of the best. Tverberg is only a few years removed from playing his way into consideration for the Canadian World Junior team, he has the ability to surprise and that’s what it is likely going to take for him to be successful in 2025-26.