Stoughton played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers, which bookended three seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) split among the Cincinnati Stingers, Indianapolis Racers and New England Whalers.
Often teamed with Rick Dudley and Rich LeDuc on the "LSD" line, Stoughton scored 52 goals for the Cincinnati Stingers in 1976–77.
[2] The next year, however, the free-wheeling Stoughton chafed under the restrictive defensive style of new coach Jacques Demers, fell into a slump and was traded to the Indianapolis Racers by mid-season.
[2] When the Racers folded in 1978, he was signed by the New England Whalers, where he played on the third line with Mike Rogers, scoring 19 goals.
[3] In 1996 he and former teammate Paul Lawless started the Austin Ice Bats franchise.