Ryan Tverberg, Jacob Quillan, and William Villeneuve were all key in helping the Marlies this year and their new contracts show they may have a future with Toronto.
The Toronto Maple Leafs made things official with a trio of key players who helped lead the Toronto Marlies to the Calder Cup in 2025-26.
Who the Maple Leafs signed and what their contracts look like
On Wednesday afternoon, the team announced officially the deals for Ryan Tverberg, Jacob Quillan, and William Villeneuve; adding three critical pieces of the pipeline and a group of players who could definitely push for a spot this upcoming season.
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Tverberg and Quillan signed one-year deals while Villeneuve was brought back on a two-year deal. What's interesting about these is that Villeneuve's contract lines up with Toronto's win-now window so there could be a potential to see him slotted in the lineup this year.
Tverberg, 24, had 36 points in 63 games for the Marlies this past season along with a plus-18 and 36 PIM while adding 14 points in 24 playoff contests, 21 PIM and a plus-3; his contract comes in at $850,000 and he is eligible to be a UFA come 2027.
He was drafted 213th overall by the Maple Leafs in 2020.
Quillan, 24, had 36 points in 40 games for the Marlies this year though did deal with some injury issues and was part of the Maple Leafs sparingly this season. Signed out of Quinnipiac University, Quillan added 9 points in 19 playoff games this past season and is more of a two-way defensive centre; he will also make $850,000 though is still an RFA next summer.
Villeneuve, 24, was drafted 122nd overall in 2020 and had a stellar season for Toronto and has always been on the cusp of making the team. In 61 games he put up 30 points, 64 PIM and a minus-1 for the Marlies this year, but exploded for 23 points in 24 playoff games and was a plus-3; the financial details of his contract are not yet known.
Each player has a path to the NHL this season
Obviously Toronto wants to keep three of their most successful AHL players in the fold but they could also be great additions to the Maple Leafs as well.
Tverberg can be a great piece on the third or fourth line as a checking machine, he's a staunch penalty killer, is speedy, and has a fantastic bit of chemistry with Easton Cowan. If Toronto wanted to add someone like Teddy Blueger or Nick Paul in between them, we could see a very fast, very aggressive checking line the likes of which Toronto has never had.
He proved that he can come through when it matters, and the longer the playoffs went on the better he got.
Same goes for Quillan though his path may be a little more difficult given that Toronto added a bunch of centres but there's still hope. Obviously issues with injuries can occur, but Quillan has proven that he can be a very good defensive option and he plays with immense heart and a gritty mentality.
If Toronto is hurting for a bit of spunk and meanness in the lineup he would fit perfectly, as he's not shy about getting in players' faces and works hard every shift.
But the one who has the clearest path is Villeneuve by far. With Toronto wanting to have a lot more mobility and transition offence at the back, then adding a guy who has 120 points in his AHL career and is the Marlies all-time assists leader is a good way to do it.
He'd be a great third-pairing option or even depth replacement for Emil Andrae, and his handedness is a huge plus being on the right side. If Chris Tanev goes down for any reason, expect Villeneuve to step in and he will certainly be one of the last cuts at camp if he doesn't make the team off rip.
Why building from within is such a cultural shift for the Maple Leafs
Now this is a change, isn't it? Toronto using their pipeline to actually add instead of letting them walk. Clearly there is some interest in seeing what all three can do at the NHL level, and the fact that they haven't given up on them is a great sign.
As we've seen in the past, Toronto has let some of their great AHL players go after not really giving them a chance and they flourished. Mason Marchment is a perfect example of someone who was built from the ground up in Toronto but traded before he could do anything and became a great player.
Another example is Pontus Holmberg, who had a strong season with Tampa Bay after Toronto let him walk, and he was someone who the team wanted to invest in but never gave him more than a third-line role to try and produce.
The team doesn't want to risk the same thing happening with these guys, and with how much the team is trying to shift gears and make serious lineup changes then it wouldn't be surprising if guys like Villeneuve or Tverberg got a lot more playing time over veterans, especially if they aren't pulling their weight.
So these may be more for the Marlies than the Maple Leafs at this point, but when camp arrives, you can expect to hear a lot more chatter around Tverberg, Quillan and Villeneuve.
Which player has the best chance of making the Maple Leafs this season?
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