Alright, so the Stanley Cup Final is on its way to another city yet again and my home town team is on its way to the big dance. The Ottawa Senators are easily one of the favourites to win the biggest hardware of them all this year and with good reason too. Their big line of Heatly, Spezza and Alfredson is scoring like wildfire but their supporting lines are also putting the puck in the net. Their defence has been stellar on both fronts as well and, for a team that has constantly been dubbed a playoff underachiever, they've come along way under thier new coach.

The Sens, however, will have to get past the wrath of the Buffalo Sabres, the President's Trophy winner this season. These same Sabres have been a force to be reckoned with this season, with massive offensive output from co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere as well as the rest of the young team plus great defense and a stellar netminder in Ryan Miller, these guys were seated as Cup contendors since the first game of the regular season. These guys have knocked off the Senators 3 times before, including last year to take them to a heartbreaking loss to Carolina, so it's no secret that the Sens are out for blood. Can the Sabres pull out another series from under thier belts? Only time will tell. 

Eastern conference aside, the Western conference looks just as promissing. With a new head coach and the retirement/trades of the majority of their original Stanley Cup winning line-up, the Detroit Red Wings were thought by many to be a team that would decline this season. However, with Dominic Hasek returning to top Dominator form at a bargain price, a new 30-goal scorer in Henrik Zetterberg and a defensive system almost second to none with Nicklas Lindstrom at the helm, all critics were silenced as they made another 110+ point season while many defencemen and forwards were out of the line-up. Also, at the trade deadline, they acquired Todd Bertuzzi, back from a back injury, that could end up being a key offensive factor not just in the playoffs, but in years to come. Can this dreamteam keep their incredible Cinderella story going?

And finally, we have the Anaheim Ducks. After their ties to Disney were finally severed last summe, the Ducks finally had the ability to she their heart of gold and replace it with a black uniform and a fighting spirit that has transmitted into many real fights. But their league-leading penalty time isn't the only new story. A young and very talented line-up of offensive giants from the present and future are combined to make one of the most diverse teams out there. Also, their attack from the blueline is unmatchable with Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger adding an agressive, yet point-scoring duo of much power and praise. Plus, veteran Teamu Selanne is quite possibly the best player in the western conference this post season. Add it all together, and you have a melting pot of Cup-winning proportions. 

I still stand by my pick of an Ottawa/Detroit Stanley Cup final, but the Ducks and Sabres won't go without a fight. These four teams are definitely the best in the league, virtually unmatched by others previously eliminated. I wish success to each one in the future and in the third round, set to begin tomorrow. 

January was a month with very little music and that didn't surprise me at all. It was a time where the indie kids shined more than the mainstream scene because it's the start of the new year. After all, the world still hasn't gotten over Gwen Stefani's new piece of crap, they can't shove the new Fall Out Boy album down our throats yet.

Either way, January wasn't without its highlights, as The Shins released their third album, Wincing The Night Away. This album was as cheery, poppy and brilliantly charismatic as The Shins have always been. Yet, they've created a more moody album this time around to appeal to the emo and indie kids worldwide. Nevertheless, they still shine on this one.

Guess what? Damon Albarn's back again...again! The Good, The Bad and The Queen is his latest project with Paul Simon of THE CLASH!!! His latest work, originally planned as a solo project, was produced by Danger Mouse and drummed by Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen (and how can this not sound like fun at this point?). The album is a spectacular piece of pop music, already in the running for album of the year, and just possesses such potential for future albums. I believe, as tragic as the loss of Gorillaz and Blur would be, Albarn could run with this project alone for quite a while.

Finally, the biggest surprise of the month came from Ms. Norah Jones with her third album Not Too Late. The woman has always been a favourite of my parents and grandparents even, but I've suddenly found myself taking an interest in her work. The woman is a VERY talented musician, and it shows on her latest work. It greatly differs from her sophomore spectacular, Come Away With Me, but still sounds incredible. Pick it up if you have some spare pocket change lying around.

What this month came down to was the indie scene. With other releases from bands like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Of Montreal, Fujiya and Miyagi, Field Music and many more bands that I've never heard of, if you want indie rock, January is the month for you. But for the rest of us who desire substance over simply the next big thing, February should hold some interesting stuff. With new Bloc Party on the way, Apostle of Hustle, The Magic Numbers and hey, even Yoko Ono has an album coming out (*shivers*), February should hold surprises of all kinds.

Alright, it's finally here. The decisions have been long and tough (particularly the Album of the Year choice) and coming to a decision was not an easy task. Just know, whatever the result, every album nominated is fantastic and worthy of its nomination. The winners are:

Pop Album:
John Mayer - Continuum
Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton - Knives Don't Have Your Back
KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope
Yusuf Islam - An Other Cup
Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds

Rock Album:
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
The Who - Endless Wire
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
The Subways - Young for Eternity

Hip-Hop/Rap Album
K-os - Atlantis: Hymns for Disco
The Roots - Game Theory
Outkast - Idlewild
Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor

R&B/Soul Album
John Legend - Once Again
Ali Farka Toure - Savane
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Corinne Bailey Rae - Corinne Bailey Rae
Mary J. Blige - Reflections: A Retrospective

Country
Solomon Burke - Nashville
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Food
Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways
Calexico - Garden Ruin
Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

Electronic/Dance
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
MSTRKRFT - The Looks
The DFA - DFA Remixes: Chapter 1
Goldfrapp - Supernature

Alternative/Indie
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics
The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

Metal
Mastodon - Blood Mountain
Tool - 10,000 Days
Iron Maiden - A Matter of Life and Death
Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

Album of the Year
TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped
Tool - 10,000 Days

Single of the Year
Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
ELEctrik HeaT - the seekwiLL - K-os
Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs
Vicarious - Tool
Other Side of the World - KT Tunstall

Debut Album
The Subways - Young For Eternity
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
KT Tunstall - Eye to the Telescope

Artistic Achievement Award
Danger Mouse