Canes general manager Jim Rutherford said today he has met with forward Tuomo Ruutu to discuss Ruutu's future with the team, and said a decision should be reached next week.

Rutherford said Ruutu, due to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, expressed a desire to stay with the team.

"These meetings are to see where the player is at, what they think of the team, whether he likes being in the organization, those things," Rutherford said. "Tuomo is a player we really like, and he said he likes being with the team. That's an important first step and we had a good meeting.

"The next hurdle may be the bigger hurdle, but at least we know we're on the same page."

Everyone seemed to be waiting for the whistle. The Canes, the Ducks.

The Canes' Jussi Jokinen was retrieving the puck behind the Carolina net in overtime Wednesday, the Ducks' Corey Perry tripped him, and that seemed to be that -- a penalty would be called and Carolina go on the power play.

Instead, there was no call from the referees, Tim Peel and Don VanMassenhoven. No whistle. Perry and the Ducks kept playing and Perry scored at 2:14 of OT for a 3-2 victory at the Honda Center.

Canes captain Eric Staal said he didn't get a good look at the play but said, "Judging by the reaction from our bench, it looked like their guy tripped him up pretty good and we didn't get the call."

Canes forward Anthony Stewart has cleared waivers and will remain with the team, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.

The Canes on Monday placed Stewart on waivers. NHL teams had until noon today to claim him.

Stewart was signed to a free-agent contract in July by Carolina after the Winnipeg Jets did not make him a qualifying offer. The two-year deal pays him $800,000 this season and $1 million next season.

In 50 games for the Canes, mostly as a fourth-liner, Stewart has six goals and seven assist. Stewart's plus-4 rating is the best on the team.

Canes general manager Jim Rutherford had never negotiated a new contract with a player during a season until this season.

Now, he might do it again.

Rutherford, who recently signed defenseman Tim Gleason to a four-year contract extension, said Monday he would be holding "an important meeting" with forward Tuomo Ruutu this week during the Canes' three-game road trip. Ruutu is due to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

"I want to talk to him about where he's at, this season and in the future," Rutherford said. "We'll talk about that and see where it goes. We're closing in on the (NHL) trade deadline, so we need to make a decision."

The Canes on Monday placed forward Anthony Stewart on waivers, general manager Jim Rutherford said after the team arrived in Anaheim.

"With us getting a look at some guys who have been called up from Charlotte (AHL) and have played well for us, we decided to put Anthony on waivers," Rutherford said. "If he is picked up by another team, it will give another opportunity to one or two players who have played well."

NHL teams have until noon Tuesday to claim Stewart from waivers. Rutherford said if Stewart clears waivers he will play Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks.

The Canes placed forward Anthony Stewart on waivers today, TSN is reporting.

Stewart was signed to a free-agent contract in July by Carolina after the Winnipeg Jets did not make him a qualifying offer. The two-year deal pays him $800,000 this season and $1 million next season.

In 50 games for the Canes, Stewart has six goals and seven assists, and has been used primarily on the fourth line by coach Kirk Muller. Stewart's plus-4 rating is the best on the team.

NHL teams have until noon Tuesday to claim Stewart on waivers.

The Canes have reassigned forward Riley Nash to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).

Nash, 22, played three games with the Hurricanes following his Jan. 30 recall. He has recorded one assist and averaged 10:34 of ice time in five games for the Hurricanes this season.

Nash has scored six goals and earned 12 assists  in 41 games with the Checkers this season.

A week ago, some hockey "insiders" were saying a Tuomo Ruutu trade was "imminent."

A week later, there's talk Canes general manager Jim Rutherford may be negotiating a contract extension for the hard-charging forward, who's due to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Question: when all is said and done, which will it be? Will Ruutu be traded before the deadline or re-signed? More so, which would be the best move for the Canes in moving forward and looking to next season?

The floor is open.

The Canes are headed West and they'll be taking a few extra bodies along.

Chad LaRose, out the past two games with flu-like symptoms, was at practice today at the RBC Center. LaRose is ready to rejoin the lineup, but Canes coach Kirk Muller said an extra forward likely would be on the three-game trip to Anaheim, Colorado and Montreal.

The Canes also have an extra defenseman. Derek Joslin has been a healthy scratch the past two games with the return of Jaroslav Spacek.

RALEIGH — In the grand scheme of things, moving out of last place in the Eastern Conference may not seem all that notable.

But the Canes will take it, and especially after a hard-working 2-1 victory Saturday over the Los Angeles Kings at the RBC Center.

Jeff Skinner and Jiri Tlusty scored, Cam Ward again was rock-solid in net and the Hurricanes overcame a slumbering start to lift their record to 20-25-9. With 49 points, they moved out of 15th place and ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the East.

"It looks nicer," Canes coach Kirk Muller said of the standings. "But the key is the way we've been playing. The nice thing now is we're finding ways to pick up points in these tight games as opposed to a month ago."