He played junior hockey with the local Perth Juniors and the Perth Blue Wings from 1934 to 1938. He then joined the Pontiac team in the Michigan-Ontario League for the 1938-39 season. Signed by the Detroit Red Wings in 1939, he played for the Wings in their Stanley Cup-winning season of 1942-43. Douglas played in the Wings' system until 1947, except for 1943-44 and 1944-45 when he was restricted to Canada by World War II military rules. After that year he played with various minor pro and senior teams until his retirement in 1956.