Executive Career
While Dutton focused on coaching the team, the Americans were facing bankruptcy. Heavily in debt, team owner Bill Dwyer turned to Dutton who lent $20,000 him to allow the team to continue operating. When the NHL finally forced Dwyer out and took over ownership of the franchise, the league asked Dutton to take over management of the team.
Though the ownerless team was written off by the press and labeled as being "orphans", Dutton built an Americans team in 1937–38 that finished with a 19–18–11 record. It was only the third time in the team's 13 year history they finished with a winning record. It was also only the third time the Americans qualified for the playoffs. They faced, and defeated, their rival New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Black Hawks in the league semi-final. Dutton pioneered the use of air travel as the Americans became the first hockey team to fly between games in 1938.
The Americans continued to defy expectations in 1938–39. They again qualified for the playoffs, losing to Toronto in the first round, while Dutton was named an NHL Second-Team All-Star as coach. He led them to the playoffs again in 1939–40, but the loss of players due to World War II took its toll on the franchise. After finishing in last place the season before, the league announced that the Americans had suspended operations for the 1942–43 NHL season though Dutton continued to represent the team on the Board of Governors. Dutton believed that if the Americans could have held on through the war, his team would become more popular than the Rangers. "A couple of more years and we would have run the Rangers right out of the rink," he said.
Following the sudden death of Frank Calder in 1943, the NHL asked Dutton to serve as acting-president of the league. The owners wanted Dutton in the post both because he was popular with the players, and because they felt they could control him. Dutton agreed to take the presidency on the promise that the league would reinstate the Americans following the war. He resigned the position after one year, citing the fact that the role took too much time away from his business interests in Calgary, but reversed his decision on the understanding that he would not always be available to serve the NHL post. Despite this agreement, he again attempted to leave the presidency in December 1944, and again had to be persuaded to complete the season.
In spite of his earlier reluctance to retain the presidency, Dutton completed a five-year agreement to remain as the head of the NHL in 1945. He continued to make inquiries on the status of his team, but found in 1946 that the owners had reneged on their promise. Dutton had arranged $7 million in financing for a new arena in Brooklyn and upon being told by the owners during a league meeting that they weren't interested told his peers "You can stick your franchise up your ass", and left the meeting. Dutton then resigned the presidency, but remained in the position until he convinced the league to accept Clarence Campbell as his replacement.
Dutton felt that the Rangers were responsible for the league's refusal to allow the Americans to resume operations, and in a fit of pique, swore that the Rangers would never win another Stanley Cup in his lifetime. His vow became known as "Dutton's Curse". Additionally, he never set foot in an NHL arena again until 1980 when, as the last surviving Calgary Tiger, he was asked to drop the puck for the ceremonial faceoff prior to the first game in Calgary Flames' history. Dutton's 34-year separation from the NHL was attributed to the betrayal of the league's owners, but also because Dutton himself found the lure of the game too strong, and knew he had to step away in order to effectively manage his businesses.
In spite of this, he accepted a nomination in 1950 to become one of two Stanley Cup trustees, a position he held until his death in 1987. Dutton was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958, and was a member of the Hall of Fame's selection committee for 15 years.
Read more about this topic: Red Dutton
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