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Caps Brouwer takes shot at former teammate

By WTOP Staff

Ben Raby, wtop.com

ARLINGTON, Va. – Troy Brouwer and Alexander Semin were teammates for all of one season with the Washington Capitals. Apparently that was plenty of time for Brouwer to draw a few conclusions about the Russian sniper.

“Some nights you didn’t even know if he was going to come to the rink,” Brouwer said Monday. “It’s tough to play alongside guys like those because you don’t know what you’re going to get out of them.”

Brouwer’s comments come as the Capitals prepare to face Semin and the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night at Verizon Center for the first of five meetings this season.

Semin signed a one-year, $7 million deal with Carolina last summer after spending seven seasons with the Capitals.

The 28-year-old was an enigmatic figure with the Caps, capable of scoring highlight reel goals in bunches one night only to take costly penalties the next. Semin rarely attended optional practices, declined interviews with the media and in recent years started to have his work ethic questioned by former teammates.

Brouwer said it can be frustrating to see a player with tremendous raw talent, but work ethic shortcomings.

“I know there are a lot of guys that work really, really hard to get where they are playing in the NHL, and some guys it’s a little bit easier because of their skill-set. Every player’s different, every attitude is different and every personality is different. That’s why the world is the way it is.”

Semin was a six-time 20-goal scorer with the Capitals from 2007-12, but his productivity peaked in 2009-10 with career-highs of 40 goals and 84 points. He followed it up with 54 points in each of the last two years.

“It was tough to lose his scoring ability when he wanted to play,” Brouwer said. “But all in all I think we’ve been doing well without him.”

Semin is fifth all-time in franchise history with 197 goals and he is Washington’s 14th all-time leading scorer with 408 points in 469 games.

“Obviously you’re going to miss a player of that talent,” defenseman Karl Alzner said, “but I think we filled the hole that we did have. If we could have him on our team still, that’d be a bonus for us, but we’re not that fortunate.”

Among Semin’s biggest supporters during his tenure with the Capitals was his countryman and team captain Alex Ovechkin. They remain in touch, Ovechkin said, about once a week.

“He read the game, he can pass the puck well he can shoot it and I like playing with him,” Ovechkin said. “Sometimes I miss [him]. Right now I don’t have any Russian [teammates] who speak [my] language.”

Ovechkin added that he isn’t surprised to see Semin succeeding in Carolina, where he has four goals and 14 points in 17 games. Semin’s plus-10 rating is also second best among Eastern Conference forwards.

Ovenchkin expects Semin to have a big game Tuesday night.

“He [will] just want to show up and tell them like it was a mistake. Every normal player will do it. I think it’s going to be good night for both teams tomorrow.”

Catch the Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night at 7:05 on Federal News Radio, WFED 1500AM and online at WFED.com Pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m.

Follow @WTOPSports and @WTOP on Twitter.

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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