The NHL Board of Governors has voted to approve Tom Gaglardi as the new owner of the Dallas Stars, according to a source.

With the board not meeting until early December, a fax vote was conducted on the Stars sale. A fax vote requires unanimity rather than the three-fourths majority required for a vote during a board meeting.

Now that the board vote is complete, Gaglardi is in position to take control of the Stars quickly after Friday's court hearing in Delaware, where the sale of the team to the Vancouver businessman and the Stars' prepackaged bankruptcy plan are expected to be approved.

The Stars are expected to make an official announcement Friday on the approval of the sale to Gaglardi, along with announcement on the hiring of Jim Lites as president of the club. Gaglardi is expected to be introduced at a press conference in Dallas early next week, most likely Monday.