Dutton joined the Calgary Canadians of Alberta's Big-4 League for the 1920–21 season, then moved onto the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) in 1921–22 where he scored 16 goals and 21 points in 22 games. Two seasons later, in 1923–24, Dutton and the Tigers won the WCHL championship. He assisted on the championship winning goal in a 2–0 victory over the Regina Capitals by carrying the puck the length of the ice before passing to Cully Wilson who scored. The team then defeated the Pacific Coast Hockey Association's Vancouver Maroons before losing to the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 1924 Stanley Cup Final.