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Deals slow to trickle on Day 2 of NHL free agency

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

Sabres general manager Tim Murray joked that he has run out of spending money two days into NHL free agency.

Most of his fellow executives appeared to be in the same boat Wednesday.

The frenzy of high-priced signings and big-name trades that took place to open the league’s annual summer signing period Tuesday, slowed to a trickle a day later.

“I’m not surprised,” Murray said, a day after he committed $46.38 million in salaries to sign four free agents. “Nobody’s in a rush today because they’re taking stock of what happened yesterday.”

There were a few notable signings that took place on Wednesday.

The New York Islanders made the biggest splash by signing forwards Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin to four-year contracts. Grabovski’s deal is worth $20 million, while Kulemin will make $16.75 million.

The Nashville Predators, who failed in a bid to land center Jason Spezza in a trade with Ottawa, made an addition by signing veteran center Olli Jokinen to a one-year, $2.5 million deal.

“There’s no doubt that the second day is a lot different than the first day,” Nashville general manager David Poile said. “There were certainly, with all due respect to other teams out there, there were really no bargains (on the first day). I participated in that last year. You pay a lot to participate in the first day.”

The Vancouver Canucks signed right wing Radim Vrbata to a two-year, $10 million deal. The 33-year-old Vrbata had 20 goals and 31 assists in 80 games last season for Arizona.

Forward Chris Bourque is back in the NHL after agreeing to a deal with the New York Rangers. The son of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, split last season playing in Russia and Switzerland.

And the New Jersey Devils re-signed fourth-line linemates, forwards Steve Bernier and Stephen Gionta.

Just as notable was the list of players — many of them aging veterans — still on the market.

It’s a group that included goalie Martin Brodeur, the league’s career victory leader, forwards Dany Heatley, Mike Ribeiro, David Legwand, Ville Leino and Steve Ott.

Murray had considered bringing back Ott, Buffalo’s former captain, who was traded to St. Louis in February. But Murray’s interest waned after addressing the Sabres’ leadership needs by signing former Canadiens captain Brian Gionta, and acquiring defenseman Josh Gorges in a trade with Montreal.

“I don’t know if he’s a possibility,” said Murray, who spoke with Ott’s agent on Tuesday night. “I said, ‘There’s still interest but I can’t certainly tell you not to pursue other things.'”

Saku Koivu also is available, but the forward’s future is uncertain after Anaheim decided not to re-sign him.

“Saku has not made a decision about his plans for next season, and is considering his options to continue his NHL career,” Koivu’s agent, Jeffrey Kowall, wrote in an email.

The Islanders were the busiest team Wednesday, as they also signed forward Cory Conacher, who split last season between Ottawa and Buffalo.

The 30-year-old Grabovski is a dependable two-way forward who had 13 goals and 22 assists in 58 games with Washington last season. The 27-year-old Kulemin had spent the previous six seasons with Toronto, where he had 84 goals and 111 assists in 421 career games.

In Nashville, Jokinen fills an immediate need on a team that has lacked offensive punch.

The 35-year-old is a seven-time 20-goal-scorer, who had 18 goals and 25 assists in 82 games for the Winnipeg Jets last season.

“Olli Jokinen is a proven veteran center who will provide us with size, leadership and offensive ability in the tough Central Division and Western Conference,” general manager David Poile said.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Steve Downie to a one-year, $1 million deal, a day after signing four players.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed defenseman Nick Schultz to a one-year deal. The 31-year-old had five assists in 69 games last season split between Edmonton and Columbus.

Dallas re-signed center Vernon Fiddler to a two-year contract.

Carolina signed former Toronto center Jay McClement to a one-year, $1 million deal.

And the San Jose Sharks added former Sabres enforcer John Scott, by signing the forward to a one-year contract.

In Buffalo, the Sabres focused their attention on formally welcoming Gionta, a day after he signed a three-year, $12.75 million deal. It’s a homecoming for Gionta, who is from nearby Rochester. And he is part of a rebuilding plan in Buffalo (21-51-10), which is coming off a last-place finish.

“By no means am I going to come here and work miracles,” the 35-year-old Gionta said. “The first step is trying to get to the playoffs. And I’m excited about being able to be part of that turnaround.”

___

AP Hockey Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report.

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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