Jussi Jokinen is staying with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Jokinen was placed on NHL waivers on Tuesday but cleared waivers at noon on Wednesday. The veteran forward is expected to join the team for the three-game trip to Canada.

Forward Tim Wallace, also placed on waivers Tuesday, also cleared and was reassigned by the Canes to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

Canes coach Kirk Muller said after today's practice that forward Chad LaRose, who turned 31 Wednesday, has the flu and would not be with the team for the first stop on the trip -- Thursday at Toronto against the Maple Leafs.

Muller said injured defensemen Justin Faulk and Bobby Sanguinetti, and goalie Dan Ellis, would accompany the team on the trip. Faulk (knee sprain) has not been able to resume skating, Muller said.

RALEIGH -- Winnipeg coach Claude Noel said the Jets and Carolina Hurricanes both would be looking to make a statement in their Southeast Division game Tuesday at PNC Arena.

The Jets did that.

Winnipeg won 4-1, increasing its divisional lead to six points over the Hurricanes, who had not played since Thursday and came into the game rested and refreshed.

The Hurricanes on Tuesday placed forwards Jussi Jokinen and Tim Wallace on waivers.

Jokinen, 29, has struggled offensively this season, scoring five goals and adding five assists while posting a minus-7 plus/minus rating. He did not have a point in the past six games and notched just one assist in the past eight games.

Jokinen was traded to the Canes from Tampa Bay in February 2009 and helped the Canes reach the Eastern Conference finals. He scored some big playoff goals in '09, including a last-second score that beat Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils.

Wallace has been used primarily on the fourth line. Should he clear waivers, he could be reassigned to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

NHL teams have until noon Wednesday to make a claim on the two players. Jokinen has one year remaining on his contract that has a $3 million salary cap hit.

The Canes are happy about signing Alex Semin to a five-year, $35 million contract extension, keeping an elite forward on the team through the 2017-2018 season.

Needless to say, Semin is pretty happy about it, too.

"I'm very happy to sign here with this organization, this team," Semin said after Tuesday's morning skate at PNC Arena. "I like the Carolina fans, this city, everything. I like playing here."

The Carolina Hurricanes and forward Alexander Semin have agreed on a five-year, $35 million contract extension, the team announced Monday.

Semin, 29, is in his eighth NHL season and his first with Carolina after signing as a free agent on July 26, 2012. He leads the Canes in assists (22), and ranks second in points (30) and plus/minus rating (+18) in 30 games this season.

Semin is tied for 11th among all NHL skaters in assists this season, and tied for 10th in plus/minus rating. He ranks first among Hurricanes forwards in time on ice per game (20:39) and has spent the majority of the season skating alongside Hurricanes captain Eric Staal.

Semin has totaled 205 goals and 233 assists (438 points) in 499 career NHL games with the Washington Capitals and the Hurricanes. He scored his 200th career NHL goal on Feb. 11 against the New York Islanders.

The Canes on Monday recalled goaltender John Muse from the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) on an emergency basis.

Goaltender Dan Ellis cut his left leg during Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils. Ellis has been placed on injured reserve by the Canes.

In another personnel move Monday, the Canes activated defenseman Joe Corvo from injured reserve while placing defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti on injured reserve. Sanguinetti has an upper-body injury.

It's the first NHL recall for Muse, 24, who is in his second full professional season. Muse has a 6-6-0 record and a 3.48 goals-against average in 13 games with Charlotte this season.

Muse was recalled Jan. 12 to Charlotte from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. He was 9-8-4 with a 3.66 goals-against average in 21 games with the Everblades prior to joining the Checkers.

Muse won two NCAA championships (2008, 2010) during his four-year collegiate career at Boston College.

For the Canes, what could be the final push began Monday with an hour-long practice.

After having Saturday and Sunday off -- a veritable spring break during the shortened NHL season -- the Canes were back at PNC Arena preparing for their Southeast Division game Tuesday with Winnipeg. The Canes trail the Jets, whom they'll face again this week in Winnipeg, by four points.

Canes coach Kirk Muller called it a "huge game" and it seems that way, especially for a team that's winless in its last five games. With 18 games left in the regular season, there's no room for any more slippage, especially at home, where the Canes are 7-8 this season.

"You're pretty much in the playoffs right now," Muller said. "You look at the schedule. We've got Winnipeg twice this week and Toronto. This is the race now. It's right now."

The Canes on Monday recalled center Riley Nash from the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

Nash, 23, was reassigned to Charlotte on March 22, and scored two goals in the Checkers’ 4-2 win at Texas on Saturday.

Nash is in his third full professional season and has three goals, three assists and a plus-2 rating in 16 games with the Hurricanes this season. He ranks tied for second among Charlotte skaters in assists (24) and plus/minus (+14), and fourth in points (37), despite having played in just 51 of the team’s 65 games this season.

Forward Zach Boychuk is back where he started: with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

Boychuk, claimed by the Canes on waivers from Nashville, cleared waivers Saturday and was reassigned by the Canes to the Checkers.

Boychuk, 23, appeared in Carolina’s opener on Jan. 19 against the Florida Panthers and was then a healthy extra for four games before being placed on waivers and subsequently claimed by Pittsburgh on Jan. 31. He played in seven games for the Pens before being acquired on waivers by the Predators on March 5.

Boychuk had 16 goals and 16 assists for the Checkers during the NHL work stoppage.

The Canes' Eric and Jordan Staal have made a mutual decision: they'll both wear protective visors for the first time in their NHL careers.

The Staal brothers had the visors on Friday for the Canes' practice at Raleigh Center Ice. The decision to use them came after brother Marc Staal of the New York Rangers was hit by a puck in the right eye March 5 in New York.

Marc Staal, who does not use a visor, is sidelined indefinitely but should return this season. He, too, plans to use a visor when he returns.

"It's a decision that's been brewing for a little while," Eric Staal said.