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NHL players hopeful of playing in 2014 Olympics

By WTOP Staff

By DAN GELSTON

AP Sports Writer

With one final flick, Sidney Crosby’s 2010 overtime goal won Canada the gold medal and elicited national pride to the host country.

But will it stand as the last goal scored by an NHL player in the Olympics?

The nasty labor dispute long settled, the NHL can now focus on another lingering issue that needs a quick resolution. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have yet to agree with the IOC and the International Ice Hockey Federation to participate in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

With the opening ceremony set for Feb. 7, 2014, the countdown clock for the first faceoff is ticking.

The 2014 Games, which run through Feb. 23, will feature more than 3,000 athletes. Players like Crosby, New York’s Rick Nash, Carolina’s Eric Staal, Chicago’s Patrick Kane and so many other All-Stars would love another shot at putting on the Olympic sweater for their home country.

Vancouver Canucks goalie Cory Schneider, a likely Team USA candidate, is one of the hopefuls that said the NHL should play again in 2014.

“I think the fans want to see that,” he said. “I think the players realistically would want to go do that. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I think we’d all be in favor of it.”

The NHL has participated in every Olympics since the Nagano Games in 1998. All sides were set to meet Thursday and Friday in New York as they work toward a deal that would ensure the world’s best players would again be showcased on sport’s grandest stage.

The idea that the Olympics would be held in Russia, home of the KHL, with the NHL frozen out seems tough to imagine. After all, some of the league’s top players are from Russia or have ties to the KHL.

But there could be some stumbling blocks toward a deal.

IIHF president Rene Fasel has been adamant that the games will go on with the NHL players. After the rousing success and elevated ratings in Vancouver, Fasel stated it, “would be wrong for the game, for the fans, not having the best players in Sochi.”

While the NHL might roll its eyes at Fasel’s public baiting, he hasn’t backed off his stance. On a recent interview with CBC television, Fasel said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, “has no other choice,” but to come to Sochi.

That probably didn’t help his cause with the NHL. Because Bettman does have another choice – and plenty of reasons – to keep the NHL home next winter.

This is a commissioner with three lockouts, including one canceled season, on his watch. Skipping the Olympics would be a footnote on his resume.

Bettman is again concerned about shutting down the NHL season during the Olympics. He also has doubts about an Olympics in which the hockey would be played at a time when many North American fans would be asleep.

The NHL also is unhappy at ceding control of its players to the IOC and being barred from using Olympic highlights on its website. The league also receives no revenue from the telecasts and has no say on which cable station carries games. The NHL Network does not air games and most of the Vancouver games where shuffled off rights-holder NBC to its secondary channels.

The NHL, of course, makes no money during the league shutdown and elite players are at risk of injury that could derail a Stanley Cup run. Of course, disruptions to the schedule and concerns of injuries abroad didn’t prevent the league from locking out players in 2012.

In the end, the players want to represent their countries – and, yes – their NHL teams and the league as a whole at the Olympics.

The NHL needs the approval of the NHLPA to commit to the Olympics – and that seems as guaranteed as an empty-net goal from the crease. The players want to play. After Vancouver, Russian stars like Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin even threatened to bail on their NHL teams to play for their countries. That’s a drastic warning, one that probably won’t be followed through, but must be addressed as the sides work on 2014 logistics.

Olympic hockey does spur interest in the NHL and TV ratings show more eyeballs are on the gold medal game than some recent Stanley Cup series.

Fans want stars in Russia. Players love to going for gold.

Expect them to all get their wish for 2014.

—–

AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this story.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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