He scored the first goal in Philadelphia Flyers history on October 11, 1967. After several seasons in the minor leagues, Sutherland made a first appearance in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1963 Stanley Cup playoffs, playing two games for Montreal and registering zero points. He would go on to play four more seasons in the American Hockey League with the Quebec Aces before earning his chance in the NHL as a regular with the expansion Philadelphia Flyers, og which he scored the first goal in history on October 11 1967 . He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings, before finishing his career in the World Hockey Association with the Winnipeg Jets.