NHL general managers may be gearing up for the noon ET commencement of the annual unrestricted free agent spending frenzy but some are also taking care of a few re-signings.

-The Anaheim Ducks reportedly are close to re-signing restricted free agent Corey Perry to a multi-year deal similar to that signed by teammate Ryan Getzlaf last season (which was worth over $5 million per season) but due to salary cap issues apparently cannot officially announce the deal until after noon on July 1st.

No one should be surprised by this news. After losing Dustin Penner to an offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers last summer there was no way Ducks GM Brian Burke would risk losing Perry to an offer sheet from another rival team this summer.

-The Buffalo Sabres have been busy, re-signing forward Paul Gaustad to a four-year contract worth $2.3 million per season against their cap, and opening contract talks with goaltender Ryan Miller, who’s eligible for UFA status next July.

 After losing players to the UFA market over the last three seasons Sabres management have shifted gears and now hope to get Miller re-signed this summer (maybe on July 1st?) and intend on opening contract talks with Jason Pominville (another player eligible for UFA status next summer) very soon.

-The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings are still trying to keep defenseman Brad Stuart off the UFA market with last-minute contract talks but they did successfully lock up blueliner Andreas Lilja to a two-year deal worth an affordable $1.25 million per season.

 -It remains to be seen if the San Jose Sharks can retain impending UFA blueliner Brian Campbell but they did ensure that they’d a physical presence on the roster by re-signing enforcer Jody Shelley to a two-year contract.

-The Florida Panthers raised some eyebrows today by re-signing forward Rostislav Olesz to a six-year contract extension worth $3.15 million per season.

That’s a lot of coin to invest in an injury-prone young forward whose best season was a 30-point performance in 2006-07, but the Panthers are obviously investing in potential here, expecting Olesz to blossom into the scoring star he’s been projected to be.

For their sake that potential had better pan out, otherwise they’ll have an unmoveable contract on their hands.

The Columbus Blue Jackets finally swung a trade but it wasn’t what most expected, sending popular long-time enforcer Jody Shelley to the San Jose Sharks for a sixth round pick in 2009.

Shelley is a six-year NHL veteran and until January 29th played his entire NHL career with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he became a fan favorite for his pugilistic ways.

But Shelley struggled to adjust to the Blue Jackets new up-tempo style and was frequently a healthy scratch this season.

Sharks GM Doug Wilson acquired Shelley to provide some added toughness after winger Ryan Clowe was recently injured. Wilson also admitted he attempted to acquire Shelley earlier this season but he only became available recently.

Meanwhile, two other enforcers recently re-signed with their current teams.

Over the weekend the Washington Capitals announced the re-signing of forward Donald Brashear to a one-year, $1.2 million extension, and on Tuesday the Los Angeles Kings re-signed Raitis Ivanans to a two-year extension.

The role of enforcers has been downplayed in recent years since the “new” NHL debuted after the 2005 lockout but these recent moves suggest those like Shelley, Brashear and Ivanans still have value to NHL teams.