 As a youth, Taormina played in the 2000 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Detroit Honeybaked minor ice hockey team.Taormina began his amateur career playing in the North American Hockey League with the Texarkana Bandits.Earning a place in the Second All-Star Team, the All-Rookie Team and winning the NAHL's Rookie of the year, Matt then committed to play collegiate hockey in the Hockey East with Providence College.