‘Hamister made his fortune in the nursing home and medical insurance industry and is already involved in the Buffalo-area sports scene as owner of the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League. He was known to have met with Bettman as late as last Tuesday in Buffalo. Those meetings were said to be productive. Hamister also spent that evening taking in the Sabres-Boston Bruins game in the HSBC Arena box owned by Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs. Jacobs is a lifelong Western New York resident and has a financial stake in HSBC Arena where the Sabres play. Since he’s a powerful behind-the-scenes player in the NHL and chairman of both the NHL’s finance and audit committees, having Jacobs’ blessing is almost an open ticket in the NHL.’