Here's a tantalizing look at Aaron Sorkin's new drama "Newsroom," coming to HBO June 24. It looks great. My only note to Sorkin: more Sam Waterston, please. Thanks.

What happens with Jeff Daniels and Rod Brind'Amour in the immediate future remains up in the air -- there's going to be an assistant-coach reshuffle behind the Hurricanes' bench one way or another, with Ron Francis moving back to the front office full time -- but Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford has a lot to say about their coaching futures.

In his end-of-season media briefing Tuesday, Rutherford said he thought both Daniels and Brind'Amour would be head coaches in the NHL at some point.

When the Charlotte Checkers open the AHL Eastern Conference finals Thursday at home, it represents the deepest a Carolina Hurricanes farm team has gone in the playoffs since 1997, when the Springfield Falcons made it to this point in the AHL playoffs.

The Falcons -- coached by Kevin McCarthy -- lost to the Hershey Bears, who went on to win the Calder Cup. Three times since, the Hurricanes’ minor-league affiliate has won one playoff round, but this year’s Checkers are the first to win two.

From Talking Points:

In a classy move, Bridgeport named Albany acting captain Pat Dwyer the game's first star, in recognition of the team's return to the ice.

Defenseman Brett Carson, who was hurt in the crash and unable to play, filled in for injured radio analyst John Hennessy on the broadcast.

Read more here.

In their first game since last week's bus crash that seriously injured four players and a broadcaster, the Albany River Rats picked up a 3-2 shootout victory in Bridgeport last night.

From Talking Points: 

Amid all the talk Wednesday of how Paul Maurice intends to retain the attacking philosophy used by Peter Laviolette, fans should be aware of what's happening in Albany.

Four weeks ago, with the River Rats 2-7-2-1, Albany coach Jeff Daniels switched from the system used by Laviolette in Carolina to a more defensive system — one forechecker instead of two; defensemen on a leash, not given free license to pinch in the offensive zone.

Read more here.

Amid all the talk Wednesday of how Paul Maurice intends to retain the attacking philosophy used by Peter Laviolette, fans should be aware of what's happening in Albany.

Four weeks ago, with the River Rats 2-7-2-1, Albany coach Jeff Daniels switched from the system used by Laviolette in Carolina to a more defensive system — one forechecker instead of two; defensemen on a leash, not given free license to pinch in the offensive zone.