There's a small, but very loyal fanbase for ice hockey here in Australia, and Fox Sports' superb coverage provides plenty of chances to watch what is often called the world's fastest game.

There are 30 teams in the National Hockey League, six of them based in Canada. The oldest teams are the "Original Six" - the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Last year's Stanley Cup champions were the Chicago Blackhawks, who ended a 48-year run of futility and beat the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.

Eight questions and answers for the new season

Q: Why did the Blackhawks make so many off-season moves after winning the Stanley Cup?

A: Ten players from the Cup-winning team are gone, either traded or signing elsewhere as free agents. Both goalies, Antti Niemi and Cristobal Huet have left, as have forwards John Madden and Dustin Byfuglien. Essentially it's the reality of modern sport, with salary caps and free agency forcing teams to make difficult calls. The NHL, like other pro leagues, wants parity, and since there hasn't been a back-to-back Stanley Cup champ since the Red Wings did it in 1997 and 1998, it seems to be working.

Q: Can the Washington Capitals shake off last season's playoff collapse?

A: Absolutely. The Caps are still a superb team and feature arguably the league's best player in Alex Ovechkin, as well as high-scoring Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green. They've been the victims of some brutal playoff losses in recent years, but that may work in their favour when they face adversity this season.

Q: Is it possible that the Pittsburgh Penguins are even better?

A: Despite a shock exit from last year's playoffs, the Penguins still feature superstars Sidney Crosby and Evegeni Malkin, plus goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The addition of defensemen Paul Martin and Zybenek Michalek certainly makes them stronger. They'll also be playing in a brand new facility, the Consol Center, after years in the outmoded Igloo.

Q: Are the Detroit Red Wings finally out of the playoff picture?

A: Not at all. They won 16 of their final 21 games last season, despite injuries to a number of key players. Old timer Mike Modano was the big off-season signing, and he joins stars Pavel Datsyuk, Todd Bertuzzi and Johan Franzen. Expect the Wings to challenge for the Western Conference crown yet again, as long as their goaltending is solid.

Q: Which Canadian team will go the furthest in the playoffs?

A: Probably the Vancouver Canucks. They seem to be everyone's favourites to challenge for the Cup. The Canucks are led by the Sedin Twins - Daniel and Henrik - as well as goalie Roberto Luongo, who helped Canada to Olympic gold. Just FYI, a Canadian team hasn't won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993.

Q: Will the two biggest Canadian clubs - Montreal and Toronto - have a shot at the post-season?

A: Doubtful. Montreal stunned the Capitals and Penguins last season to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. But they traded inspirational goalie Jaroslav Halak, who also starred at the Olympics for Slovakia, and his replacement, Carey Price, is already feeling the heat. In a tough Eastern Conference, the Canadiens could miss out. The Leafs - who sell out every game - have been underachievers for years and are coming off one of their worst-ever seasons. They're trying to rebuild under General Manager Brian Burke, who's gone with veterans, rather than a youth policy. Not sure that's going to work.

Q: Will Los Angeles Kings fans actually have something to cheer about this year?

A: As a former Kings supporter, I can tell you it's been a long time between drinks for L.A.'s hockey fans. And yes, they do exist. The Kings have built a strong defense around Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson and goalie Jonathan Quick. They have big-time offensive play courtesy of Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth. This is a talented team that could slide under the radar.

Q: Which teams can be real surprises this season?

A: The Atlanta Thrashers, with four ex-Blackhawks, could make some noise. The Phoenix Coyotes did some good things last season and they could also do better than people expect. The rebuilding Tampa Bay Lightning, with young star Steve Stamkos, are another potential surprise packet.

Predictions

Eastern Conference playoff teams

(TAB Sportsbet odds of winning Stanley Cup in parentheses)

1 Washington Capitals ($7.00)

2 Pittsburgh Penguins ($7.00)

3 New Jersey Devils ($17.00)

4 Boston Bruins ($17.00)

5 Philadelphia Flyers ($13.00)

6 Buffalo Sabres ($31.00)

7 Ottawa Senators ($31.00)

8 Atlanta Thrashers ($101.00)

Eastern Conference final: Washington over Pittsburgh

Western Conference playoff teams

(TAB Sportsbet odds of winning Stanley Cup in parentheses)

1 Vancouver Canucks ($10.00)

2 San Jose Sharks ($13.00)

3 Detroit Red Wings ($11.00)

4 Calgary Flames ($31.00)

5 Los Angeles Kings ($17.00)

6 Nashville Predators ($51.00)

7 Colorado Avalanche ($51.00)

8 Phoenix Coyotes ($41.00)

Western Conference final: Vancouver over San Jose

Stanley Cup final: Washington over Vancouver