NHL DFS Showdown Playbook November 18: Los Angeles Kings vs Vancouver Canucks
We have a fun NHL DFS Showdown matchup between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks on Friday night. It has been a difficult start to the season for the Canucks as they were expected to compete for a playoff spot, but look more like a lottery team. Vancouver is 30th in goals against per game and last on the penalty kill. The Kings have been pretty good of late, posting a 7-2-1 record in their last ten games. It’s helped keep them in the playoff conversation, but they really aren’t that great of a hockey team. Let's take a closer look at some NHL DFS picks and top plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for tonight's Showdown slate matchup between Los Angeles and Vancouver.
NHL DFS Showdown Top Plays
Los Angeles Kings vs Vancouver Canucks
When building my Showdown lineup, I want to make sure my Captain spot is locked down. Bo Horvat has 14 goals in 17 games this season and 44 shots on goal in the last ten games. He is a scoring machine, and it’s unlikely that changes tonight. I want my Captain to have a high floor, and Horvat is as good as it gets.
If you want to target the L.A. side of things, Viktor Arvidsson is a name to remember. He’s not shooting the puck as much this season, but he has four assists in the last two games and a shocking five blocked shots. Vancouver doesn’t take a ton of shots per game, but I still think Arvidsson can hit value for us.
As for the rest of my lineup, I’ll look to target players with high upside. Anze Kopitar is the player he once was, but he’s still finding a way to be productive. He has nine blocked shots in the last three games, which is surprising for a player of his calibre. If he can get the bonus and record a point, that should be enough for him to hit value. Sticking with the Kings, Gabriel Vilardi is going to be popular tonight, but he has 15 points on the season and is just finding a way to score goals.
On the Vancouver side, J.T. Miller is worth his $9200 price tag on DraftKings tonight. He has goals in the last three games and is playing over 23-minutes per game in that span. The man is on the ice a ton, so good things are bound to happen. Conor Garland completes the Vancouver top line, so if you want to stack the entire line, he’s the missing piece.
When it comes to defencemen, we are just looking for players who can block shots. I want to focus on players with a floor, and both teams have some options. Luke Schenn, Sean Durzi, Mikey Anderson and Sean Walker are all great options tonight at different price points. Durzi and Schenn are the two best, mainly because they see a good amount of ice time and are capable of also getting a couple of shots on goal. Walker carries the most risk, but his $3600 price tag is respectable and he has seven blocked shots in the last two games. I don’t feel the need to pay up for Quinn Hughes or Drew Doughty tonight. Both players are good, but I’m looking for value at this position and both players might have a hard time hitting that in this contest.
Goalies can be an option on a Showdown slate, but this is not one of those nights. Thatcher Demko has been miserable and I do not trust whoever starts for the Kings on the road. Both teams are going to have a ton of scoring chances, so there’s no point paying a premium for a player that’s going to give up a ton of goals. You could target Jonathan Quick (if he starts) if you’re chasing the win, but they are slight underdogs and I don’t like the idea of spending most of my salary on a below-average goalie. All in all, I’ll keep my lineup focused on scoring goals.
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Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.