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Canes add Malone, keep Tlusty, hire Waddell

By WTOP Staff

JOEDY McCREARY
AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes opened the NHL’s free-agent period Tuesday by adding one forward, keeping another one and bringing on an upper-level executive.

The Hurricanes agreed to a two-year deal with free-agent center Brad Malone and gave Jiri Tlusty a one-year contract.

They also hired former Atlanta Thrashers general manager Don Waddell as the president of Gale Force Sports and Entertainment, which operates both the team and its arena.

Jim Rutherford had served as both the team’s general manager and president of Gale Force before he stepped aside in April to allow Ron Francis to slide into the GM’s spot.

Rutherford was hired last month as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ GM, and now Waddell will run the team’s business-related operations while the hockey matters will fall to Francis.

“Donnie’s got great credentials,” owner Peter Karmanos Jr. said. “I believe the best way to grow a business is not by cutting expenses, it’s by growing revenue. Don’s going to work on the process and the organization itself, and we’re going to try to move the Hurricanes forward from the business side.”

Karmanos called the start of free agency “one of the more desperate days of the hockey season” because “a lot of our brethren are out running around trying to see how much money they can spend.”

He insisted “we’ve got a very good hockey team” and it didn’t make many big waves, adding Malone and keeping Tlusty while allowing a couple of role players — center Manny Malhotra and backup goalie Justin Peters — to leave.

Malone, 25, will make $600,000 this season and $700,000 in 2015-16 and projects as a fourth-line center. Francis called him “a big, physical forward” who “helps improve our team’s depth up front.”

He had three goals and two assists in 32 games with Colorado this season and has played parts of the past three seasons with the Avalanche.

Tlusty, 26 and a restricted free agent, had 16 goals and 14 assists in 68 games last season. He will make $2.95 million.

Two players from last year’s team have signed elsewhere — Malhotra received a one-year deal from Montreal while Peters agreed to a two-year contract with Washington.

Peters’ departure appears to have cleared up Carolina’s uncertain goalie situation. The Hurricanes carried three goalies — Anton Khudobin, Cam Ward and Peters — at the end of last season.

Francis said he “talked to a lot of teams” about Ward, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner during the Hurricanes’ run to the 2006 Stanley Cup and the subject of trade speculation this offseason.

“We still believe in Cam Ward,” Francis said. “At the end of the day, we feel Cam is a good goaltender. He’s had a couple of tough years and some weird injuries.”

Francis said Malhotra was looking for a two-year contract while the team was willing to offer only one year.

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Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joedyap

Copyright 2014 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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