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Dave Debol

{{Short description|American ice hockey player (born 1956)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| alt =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|3|27|mf=y}}

| birth_place = St. Clair Shores, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 170

| position = Center

| shoots = Right

| played_for = Cincinnati Stingers
Hartford Whalers

| ntl_team = United States

| draft = 63rd overall

| draft_year = 1976

| draft_team = Chicago Black Hawks

| wha_draft = 31st overall

| wha_draft_year = 1976

| wha_draft_team = New England Whalers

| career_start = 1978

| career_end = 1984

}}

David C. Debol (born 27 March 1956) is an American former professional ice hockey player.

Debol played 92 games for the NHL Hartford Whalers and 68 games for the WHA Cincinnati Stingers between 1978 and 1981. He was also a member of the University of Michigan hockey team before turning professional. Debol played for the United States at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1977, 1978 and 1981. Debol also played for the Michigan Wolverines hockey team and has been inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.

Early life

Debol is native of St. Clair Shores, Michigan. As a youth, he played in the 1967 and 1968 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from St. Clair Shores.{{cite web|url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA|year=2018|website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament|access-date=2019-01-08|archive-date=2019-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf|url-status=dead}}

University of Michigan

Debol enrolled at the University of Michigan 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 NCAA's Frozen Four ice hockey championship, where they lost in overtime to Wisconsin.{{cite news|title=Cincinnati Gains 'M' Icer's Rights|publisher=The Herald-Palladium|date=1977-12-17}} Debol was called "the Guy Lafleur of college hockey" and was considered the best offensive player at Michigan since Red Berenson.{{cite news|title=Stingers Stun WHA; Trade High For Debol|publisher=Ironwood Daily Globe|date=1977-12-17}} As a sophomore, Debol scored three goals in less than one minute to set an NCAA 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.{{cite news|title=Wisconsin King of NCAA Hockey|publisher=Newport Daily News 1977-03-28}} He finished the year with 43 goals. Debol set Michigan records for most assists in a season (56), most points in a season (99), career assists (120) and career points (222).{{cite news|title=Debol Michigan's Hockey MVP|publisher=The Herald-Palladium|date=1977-03-31}} As a senior, Debol led the WCHA in scoring with 43 goals and 56 assists.

Professional hockey

Debol was highly sought after by professional hockey teams. The Chicago Black Hawks acquired his NHL rights, and the New England Whalers acquired his WHA rights. The Whalers traded Debol's 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.{{cite news|title=Debol Inks Stinger Pact|publisher=Ironwood Daily Globe|date=1978-03-18}} 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.{{cite news|title=Eye Surgery for Debol|publisher=Chronicle Telegram (UPI wire story)|date=1979-04-14}} 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 NHL. Debol played for the Whalers from 1979 to 1981. Playing on the same team as Gordie Howe and his sons Mark and Marty,{{cite web|title=1979 Hartford Whalers |publisher=databasehockey.com |url=http://www.databasehockey.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=HAR&yr=1979 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070513082104/http://www.databasehockey.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=HAR&yr=1979 |archive-date=2007-05-13 }}{{cite web|title=1980 Hartford Whalers |publisher=databasehockey.com |url=http://www.databasehockey.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=HAR&yr=1980 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307154653/http://www.databasehockey.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=HAR&yr=1980 |archive-date=2007-03-07 }} When Debol was born in 1956 in a Detroit suburb, Gordie Howe had already played ten seasons with the Detroit Red Wings,{{cite news|title=Gordie Howe Career Statistics |publisher=databasehockey.com |url=http://www.databasehockey.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HOWEGOR01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315044347/http://databasehockey.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HOWEGOR01 |archive-date=2009-03-15 }} and in 1980 Debol was teammates with the 52-year-old Howe in his final NHL season. Debol had 26 goals and 26 assists in 92 games for the Whalers.{{cite web|title=Dave Debol |publisher=databasehockey.com |url=http://www.databasehockey.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=DEBOLDAV01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220145956/http://www.databasehockey.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=DEBOLDAV01 |archive-date=2012-02-20 }}{{cite web|title=Dave Debol|publisher=hockeydb.com|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=1308}}

Later years

After retiring as a hockey player, Debol coached high school hockey at Dexter High School in Michigan. He currently coaches college hockey at the University of Michigan–Dearborn, in the ACHA Division I ranks.{{cite web|title=Dave Debol Biography |publisher=Hockey Masters |url=http://www.hockeymasters.net/bios/biodebol.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119234938/http://www.hockeymasters.net/bios/biodebol.htm |archive-date=2008-11-19 }} Debol has also owned and operated hockey schools, including Hockey Masters in Chelsea, Michigan, and also Debol & Donnelly Skill Development.{{cite news|title=NHL Player Search: Dave Debol|publisher=Legends of Hockey|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12427}}

Debol lives in Saline, and has a son and a daughter, both of whom are hockey players.

In 1996, Debol was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor.{{cite web|title=Hall of Honor|publisher=M Club|url=http://www.letterwinnersmclub.com/hallofhonor.html|access-date=2009-02-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027023751/http://www.letterwinnersmclub.com/hallofhonor.html|archive-date=2007-10-27|url-status=dead}}

On 10 May 2016, Debol was named the inaugural head coach of his hometown team, the St. Clair Shores Fighting Saints of the Federal Hockey League.{{cite web | url=http://www.freep.com/story/sports/2016/05/10/federal-hockey-league-st-clair-shores/84169420/ | title=New Federal Hockey League team coming to St. Clair Shores' Civic Arena | publisher=Detroit Free Press | work=FreeP.com | date=May 10, 2016 | access-date=May 18, 2016 | author=Brudenell, Mike}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Regular season

! rowspan="100" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! colspan="5"|Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

1973–74

| St. Clair Falcons

| MNHL

| —

————

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1974–75

| University of Michigan

| B-10

| 33

1318310

| —

————
1975–76

| University of Michigan

| B-10

| 42

36225822

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1976–77

| University of Michigan

| B-10

| 45

43569940

| —

————
1977–78

| University of Michigan

| B-10

| 36

20385826

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1977–78

| Cincinnati Stingers

| WHA

| 9

3252

| —

————
1978–79

| Cincinnati Stingers

| WHA

| 59

1027379

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1979–80

| Hartford Whalers

| NHL

| 48

1214264

| 3

0000
1979–80

| Springfield Indians

| AHL

| 16

412162

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1979–80

| Cincinnati Stingers

| CHL

| 10

88162

| —

————
1980–81

| Hartford Whalers

| NHL

| 44

1412260

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1980–81

| Binghamton Whalers

| AHL

| 18

411150

| —

————
1981–82

| Cincinnati Tigers

| CHL

| 50

1624406

| —

————
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1981–82

| Oklahoma City Stars

| CHL

| 21

1315282

| —

————
1982–83

| Birmingham South Stars

| CHL

| 55

2528538

| 13

55102
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1983–84

| EHC Wetzikon

| NLB

| 38

564197—

| —

————
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | WHA totals

! 68 !! 13 !! 29 !! 42 !! 11

! — !! — !! — !! — !! —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 92 !! 26 !! 26 !! 52 !! 4

! 3 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! rowspan="102" bgcolor="#ffffff"|

! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM

1977

| United States

| WC

| 8

3362
bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1978

| United States

| WC

| 10

4480
1981

| United States

| WC

| 8

54914
bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4"| Senior totals

! 26 !! 12 !! 11 !! 23 !! 16

Awards and honors

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

!

All-WCHA Second Team

| 1975–76

| {{cite news|title=WCHA All-Teams|url=http://www.augenblick.org/chha/wcha_all.html|publisher=College Hockey Historical Archives|access-date=May 19, 2013}}

All-WCHA First Team

| 1976–77

|

AHCA West All-American

| 1976–77

| {{cite news|title=Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_icehockey_rb/2013/MIH%20awards%20for%202013.pdf|publisher=NCAA.org|access-date=June 11, 2013}}

All-NCAA All-Tournament Team

| 1977

| {{cite news|title=NCAA Frozen Four Records|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/frozen_4/2009/f4recs.pdf|publisher=NCAA.org|access-date=2013-06-19}}

References

{{reflist|2}}

External links

  • {{icehockeystats|legends=12427}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Debol, Dave}}

Category:1956 births

Category:Living people

Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans

Category:American men's ice hockey centers

Category:American ice hockey coaches

Category:Binghamton Whalers players

Category:Birmingham South Stars players

Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks

Category:Cincinnati Stingers (CHL) players

Category:Cincinnati Stingers players

Category:Cincinnati Tigers players

Category:Hartford Whalers players

Category:Ice hockey coaches from Michigan

Category:Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey players

Category:New England Whalers draft picks

Category:Oklahoma City Stars players

Category:People from St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Category:Sportspeople from Macomb County, Michigan

Category:Springfield Indians players

Category:20th-century American sportsmen

Category:University of Michigan–Dearborn people

Category:Ice hockey players from Michigan