BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The NHL's takeover of the owner-less Buffalo Sabres is expected to take place Thursday, but league commissioner Gary Bettman doesn't think it will be long before the team is then sold to local interests.

NHL officials want to make sure the Sabres aren't part of Adelphia Communications' predicted bankruptcy proceedings.

The franchise is currently operating in limbo after the meltdown of the fortune of team owner John Rigas. His holdings are tied to debt-ridden Adelphia, where he served as chairman until stepping down recently.

The local group interested in owning the Sabres is believed to be led by Bob Rich Jr., owner of the Buffalo Bisons minor league baseball team, and Mark Hamister, owner of the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League.

The Sabres, once valued in the $100 million to $125 million range, could be sold to new owners for under $100 million, possibly around $85 million to $90 million, sources told the Buffalo News.

Complicating any change of ownership for the Sabres is the long line of creditors waiting to reclaim some of what they're due. The main creditor standing in the Sabres' line is Adelphia, which is owed roughly $150 million by the team.

"No sale of the Sabres can be effected without addressing the debt to Adelphia from the Sabres," William F. Savino, a local business attorney, told the Buffalo News. "The Sabres have used Adelphia like a credit card."

While Bettman would prefer not to have the league take over the franchise, such a takeover may be the most feasible way of finding new owners, sources close to the Sabres' situation say.