Hulton was drafted in the seventh round, 100th overall, by the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League at the 1986 OHL Priority Selection.
The Voyageurs jumped to the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League for the 1995-96 season, in which Hulton remained with the team as an assistant coach.
Hulton re-joined the Kingston Voyageurs of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League for the 1998-99 season, as he was hired as the head coach of the club.
After the solid start to the season, Hulton resigned from his position in Kingston to take the head coaching job of the Mississauga IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League.
Hulton joined the Mississauga IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League midway through the 1998-99, after the club began the season 1-21-1 under previous head coach Peter Sturgeon.
Hulton was hired by the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League for the 2000-01 season as the head coach of the club.
The Bulls had a very strong season, as Hulton led them to a 37-23-5-3 record, earning 82 points, and finishing in first place in the Eastern Conference.
On March 26, 2001, Hulton coached in his first career OHL post-season game, as Belleville hammered the Kingston Frontenacs 10–2.
Belleville slipped a bit in the 2002-03 season, however, the club finishing with a solid 33-27-6-2 record, earning 74 points, good for third place in the East Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Following his resignation with the Belleville Bulls, the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League quickly hired Hulton to a contract to become their head coach.
Florida slumped in Hulton's second season as an assistant in 2009–10, as they slid to a 32–37–13 record, getting 77 points, and finishing in second last in the Eastern Conference, missing the post-season once again.
Hulton was named head coach and general manager of the Tri-City Storm of the USHL on November 19, 2013.
In the 2014-15 season, the Storm improved tremendously, earning a record of 37-17-6, getting 80 points and finishing in second place in the Western Conference.
On June 29, 2015, Hulton was named the head coach of the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the 2015-16 QMJHL season.
In the playoffs, the Islanders swept the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the first round, followed by a sweep against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL quarter-finals.
The Islanders slipped to a 37-24-7 record during the 2017-18 season, earning 81 points, finishing third in the Maritimes Division, and ninth in overall standings.
In the post-season, the Islanders defeated the Quebec Remparts in the first round, then upset the heavily favoured Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL quarter-finals.