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Penguins Sidney Crosby says aching wrist is “good”

By WTOP Staff

ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby’s right wrist appears to be on the road to recovery.

The reigning NHL MVP said Friday he’s pleased with the way his wrist has responded to treatment over the summer and is anxious for training camp to begin as the Penguins try to recover from their second-round collapse in the playoffs.

“It’s good,” Crosby said. “You want to see how things progress throughout the summer once you start skating and get back to that regular routine. You want to see how it reacts so I’m happy with the way it’s gone.”

Crosby led the NHL with 104 points on his way to a second Hart Trophy as the league’s top player, but scored just one goal in 13 playoff games as Pittsburgh fell to the New York Rangers in seven games after blowing a 3-1 lead. He insisted in the aftermath he was healthy only to reveal he’d been dealing with the wrist for the latter part of the season.

The 27-year-old considered surgery before opting to wait and see if further treatment would produce the desired results. He looked just fine skating alongside fellow NHLers Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, Jonathan Tavares and Kyle Okposo of the New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ David Clarkson under the direction of trainer Matt Belfry.

Crosby likened the workouts to “hockey school” because it allows players to focus on fundamentals and individual skill work, an opportunity the long slog through the regular season doesn’t often provide.

“It’s just refreshing things, relearning things as you can,” Crosby said.

When Crosby returns to Pittsburgh before camp begins next month, he’ll find the landscape far different than the one he left in May. The team fired general manager Ray Shero and coach Dan Bylsma as part of a massive front office restructuring after the franchise failed for the fifth straight season to reach the Stanley Cup final.

The Penguins tabbed former Carolina GM Jim Rutherford to replace Shero. Rutherford went through a lengthy coaching search before settling on Mike Johnston, whose first job running the show in the NHL will be in a crucible where any spring that doesn’t end with a championship is a disappointment.

“We’re going to have some new faces in the dressing room trying to get that momentum and get a fresh start,” Crosby said. “We’re not happy with the way things ended last year.”

Crosby doesn’t believe the expectations need to change even though defensemen Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen and All-Star forward James Neal left in the offseason.

“The organization is committed to winning,” Crosby said. “We have opportunities as players to be successful every year. As far as the team is concerned, I think we’re in a great position to win every year. We’ll do our best to do our part.”

The camp also gave Crosby a chance to hang out with rookie of the year and good friend Nathan MacKinnon. Both former No. 1 overall picks hail from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Crosby is well versed in what it takes to cope with being deemed a franchise savior, not that MacKinnon needs much help after scoring 63 points and helping the Avalanche back to the postseason for the first time in four years.

“I can relate to a lot of things he’s going through,” Crosby said. “He’s handled it pretty well. You see the way he’s playing the first year with the Calder Trophy. He’s just going to get better. It’s a matter of being there for him.”

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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