Dave Debol starred for Notre Dame High School where he won the state title in 1973. From there, he played at the University of Michigan where, as a sophomore, he set the NCAA record for fastest hat trick (against Michigan Tech), which still stands at 59 seconds. He led the team to the 1977 NCAA title game and set Michigan’s single season scoring record.

Rated in The Hockey News draft preview issue as U.S. college hockey's No. 4 prospect for the 1976 NHL draft, Debol was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round (#63) of that draft, but never signed with the team. 

Debol was drafted by the World Hockey Association's New England Whalers, but was traded twice before he made his professional debut. Debol also had two stops with the U.S. National Team for the World Championships before joining the WHA.

Debol suited up for nine games with the Cincinnati Stingers to finish up the 1977-78 campaign then spent all of the next year there. When the World Hockey Association merged with the National Hockey League in 1979 Debol was selected by one of the new franchise, the Hartford Whalers, in the Dispersal Draft.

Debol spent 48 games with the Whalers during their inaugural NHL season and the center scored 12 goals while assisting on 14 others. The rest of that season was split between two minor pro clubs. The following year he was back in Hartford for 44 games and produced the same amount of points. This proved to be his final stint in the big leagues.

That spring he made his third appearance at the World Championships then moved on to the Central Hockey League to finish his career in 1981. Debol retired from the game following the 1982-83 campaign.

In 1996, Debol was inducted into the Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor for his outstanding efforts on the ice during his three-season stay, highlighted by his 99 points in just 45 games in 1976-77.