The Predators are keeping Shea Weber in Nashville. The team announced on its website that it has matched Philadelphia's 14-year, 110-million dollar offer sheet for the all-star defenceman. The team calls it ``the most important hockey transaction in franchise history." It comes a day before Nashville's deadline to match the Flyers' offer. The 26-year-old Weber is the Predators' captain and had 19 goals and 49 points last season. Nashville already lost free-agent defenceman Ryan Suter to Minnesota this summer and losing Weber would have been a major blow to a defence-first team that took the fourth seed in the Western Conference and advanced to the second round of the playoffs this past season.

       Elsewhere, Columbus signed defenceman Ryan Murray to an entry level deal. The 18-year-old Murray was the second overall pick in this year's N-H-L Draft after spending the last three seasons with Everett of the W-H-L.

       Meanwhile, Toronto added some experience to their young line-up by signing 33-year-old forward forward Keith Aucoin to a one-year deal. Aucoin had 11 points in 27 games last season with Washington. The Leafs also signed minor league defenceman Simon Gysbers to a one-year deal.

       Meantime, Carolina signed defenceman Jay Harrison to a three-year contract extension. The Hurricanes also signed former first-round draft pick and Lethbridge junior sniper Zach Boychuk to a one-year deal. The 29-year-old Harrison led Carolina's defencemen with nine goals and blocked 132 shots.