Ryan Tobler was born May 13, 1976 in Calgary, Alberta. A graduate of the Western Hockey League, Tobler had stops in Saskatoon, Calgary, Swift Current and Moose Jaw before making his minor professional hockey debut in 1997-98 with the WPHL Lake Charles Ice Pilots capturing WPHL Rookie of the Year honours.
Although he spent the majority of the year in Lake Charles, Tobler suited up for three games with the IHL's Utah Grizzlies before joining the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings in 1998-99. The Calgary, Alberta native who spent the 1999-2000 season leading the IHL in major penalties with 29 and ranked third in penalty minutes with 293 went on to finish third in team scoring for the Milwaukee Admirals with 47 points. The hard nosed winger returned to Milwaukee's lineup in 2000-01 before signing as a free agent with the Nashville Predators in the spring of 2000 and before being dealt to the New York Rangers midway through the next season.
Upon his arrival with the Rangers, Tobler was assigned to the team's AHL affiliate in Hartford and went to finish the season with the Wolf Pack before signing as free agent during the off-season with the Tampa Bay Lightning and going on to play four games with the team, marking his NHL debut. Tobler split the 2002-03 season between the AHLs Springfield Falcons and Chicago Wolves.
