Bettman Confident of Sabres’ Sale

Despite speculation about the financial weakness of the intended new owners of the Buffalo Sabres, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expects the transaction to go through by February.

Asked what would happen if Mark Hamister and partner Todd Berman couldn’t finalize their purchase of the team within a 45-day exclusive bargaining period, Bettman said Tuesday he was getting positive feedback.

“From everything I’m hearing from the lawyers, everybody is progressing and doing the things they need to be doing to move this along,” he said during the two-day NHL Board of Governors meeting.

Hamister, the chairman of United Health Care, and Berman, an investment banker, won the league’s nod Nov. 20 to buy the Sabres for $65 million. They beat out Rochester, N.Y., billionaire Thomas Golisano, who offered less but would have paid in cash.

Since then, the Buffalo News has reported that Hamister and Berman have asked the state, county and city governments for a $35-million financial package to reduce their cost.

Bettman disclosed Monday that the partnership’s nonbinding bid is exclusive on both sides for 45 days. He did not directly answer a question about what would happen when the grace period expired.