Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - DeBoer akasarudzwa 237th yose neToronto Maple Leafs mu1988 NHL Entry Draft
. Panguva iyoyo, akanga achitamba neWindsor Spitfires muOHL, uye mumwaka wake wakanakisisa wokurwisa, akarova zvibodzwa 45 uye 46 anobatsira nokuda kwemapoinzi 91. Mushure meWindsor, DeBoer akaenderera mberi achitamba kuMilwaukee Admirals yeInternational Hockey League (IHL), achitamba mwaka miviri izere navo. Mumwaka wake wekupedzisira neAdmirals, akarova zvibodzwa makumi maviri neshanu uye makumi matatu nemana anobatsira pamapoinzi makumi matanhatu nematanhatu uye akasiya basa mushure memwaka iwoyo.