Career
Debol represented the United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1977, 1978 and 1981. He also played for the Michigan Wolverines hockey team and has been inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor. A native of Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, Debol enrolled at the where he competed for a position on the Michigan Wolverines hockey team as a walk-on player.
He made the team and became an All-American center who led the Wolverines to the finals of the National Collegiate Athletic Association"s Frozen Four ice hockey championship, where they lost in overtime to Wisconsin.
He was called "the Guy LaFleur of college hockey" and was considered the best offensive player at Michigan since Red Berenson. As a sophomore, Debol scored three goals in less than one minute to set an National Collegiate Athletic Association record.
In March 1977, Debol tied Red Berenson"s 14-year-old record for most goals scored in a season by a Michigan Wolverines hockey player with his 42nd goal. He finished the year with 33 goals and 52 assists.
He set Michigan records for most assists in a season (56), most points in a season (99), career assists (120) and career points (222).
As a senior, Debol led the WCHA in scoring with 43 goals and 56 assists. Debol was highly sought after by professional hockey teams. The Chicago Black Hawks acquired his National Hockey League rights, and the New England Whalers acquired his WHA rights.
The Whalers traded his rights to the Edmonton Oilers, and in December 1977, the Oilers traded negotiating rights to Debol to the Cincinnati Stingers for Dennis Sobchuk.
Debol signed with the Stingers in March 1978. Playing in his rookie season, Debol had 10 goals and 27 assists when he was struck in the eye with a hockey stick in a game against Winnipeg in March 1979.
The following month, Debol underwent surgery at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati to re-attach the flap of the retina on his left eye. Debol returned from the injury and was selected by the Hartford Whalers in the 1979 Dispersal Draft when the WHA merged with the National Hockey League. He played for the Whalers from 1979–1981.
Debol had 26 goals and 26 assists in 92 games for the Whalers.
After retiring as a hockey player, Debol coached high school hockey at Dexter High School in Michigan. He currently coaches college hockey at the -Dearborn, in the ACHA Division I ranks. He has also owned and operated hockey schools, including Hockey Masters in Chelsea, Michigan, and also Debol & Donnelly Skill Development.
In 1996 Debol was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Honor.
