Sutter's teams are built in the mold of his career as a player: physical, aggressive, willing to fight and exhibiting strong work ethic. Sutter demands these values from his players and has been willing to bench or trade players that do not meet his expectations. Sutter coached teams have an expectation to be tough and difficult to play against, which was most evident during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs which saw physicality and fighting lead the Kings to the Stanley Cup. Sutter was described by former player and assistant coach Martin Gélinas as capable of pushing buttons, driving and motivating players.