David’s evolution into a highly-skilled hockey specialist began in typically Canadian fashion – on the backyard rink. He began skating at age 2 and played his minor hockey with the AAA Toronto Young Nationals. After high school, he attended Clarkson University in upstate New York on a full hockey scholarship. Upon graduation, David was the Quebec Nordiques’ 1st pick, second overall, in the 1991 NHL Supplemental Draft. A neck injury ended his professional career after two months.

But David was not about to give up hockey. His strong passion for the sport remained. So too did an eagerness to share his knowledge and provide other players with the tools to realize their dreams. In 1993, David founded Hockey Extreme with a single goal: provide the best hockey instruction available. It’s a goal that continues to drive him more than 20 years later.

David is recognized for his ability to analyze, observe strengths and weaknesses, and provide techniques to correct all aspects of a players’ game. Over two decades, David has instructed a wide array of students – from house league to adult beginners, college players to NHLers.

1. The Right System
2. The Right People
3. The Right Methods

Hockey Extreme uses the trademarked DOC® instruction system, developed by David. DOC stands for Demonstrate, Observe, Correct. It’s a proven system producing results every time.

Demonstrate: Our instructors break down each skill into its component parts and then demonstrate each part, slowly and precisely.

Observe: Next we observe each student performing the skill. The observation is intense, looking at each of the component parts demonstrated earlier.

Correct: Nobody can learn without correction. Our feedback is positive, constructive and friendly. Actively correcting any element of a skill greatly enhances overall learning.

Hockey Extreme has the best instructors. They are personally selected by David for their exceptional credentials and their ability to teach hockey skills using the DOC system. To ensure continuity, David spends time on the ice with the players and instructors, offering assistance, guidance and encouragement when necessary.

In addition to instructing real hockey players of all ages and skill levels, David has worked with actors on the game. As a Hockey Director for the weekly TV series, Screech Owls from 2000 to 2002, David was required to use “Hollywood magic” to transform non-skating actors into peewee hockey players on the big screen. Working alongside the show’s director, he was instrumental in designing and creating realistic on-ice scenes where the stars “appeared” to be great skaters and play makers. The scenes impressed audiences everywhere.

In 2003, David was the Hockey Director for the TV show Degrassi, The Next Generation where he was influential in creating an on-ice scene in North Toronto Memorial Arena even though there was no ice on the pad. To ensure it looked like the actors were skating on real ice, David had them wear in-line skates, which gave the scene an authentic hockey feel.

When the Hollywood actor Denis Leary was in Toronto in 1999 shooting the movie Lake Boat, David set up 2-on-2 hockey games for Leary and his agent. Leary, a good player and avid fan, played against David – and lost – a series of games, which prompted the actor to attend a Hockey Extreme lesson to witness first-hand the exceptional coaching David offers his clients.

Hockey Extreme operates an assortment of summer, winter break, March Break and P.A. Day camps for players aged 4 to 16. The camps are often filled with familiar faces as students return again and again throughout their minor league hockey career to learn and have fun.

David and his team work directly with several minor league hockey teams and organizations from Tyke to Midget, offering supplementary instruction by providing the coaches of those teams with direction and advice. David’s teaching methods are in high demand and produce positive results, which prompts teams to return year after year to Hockey Extreme.

David created a program called “Coach the Coaches,” which is geared toward minor hockey organizations and this has been successful from the onset. He also provides a weekly skating skills program for a private elementary school in Toronto.

After more than 20 years in business, David and the Hockey Extreme team continue to teach the secrets that will lead to your hockey success.

David’s commitment to teaching passionate hockey players and helping make them awesome hockey players is surpassed only by his devotion to family. He’s a dedicated father to daughter Darcy and a loving husband to his wife, Christy Trombley.