Hicks Sports Group yesterday confirmed they had hired Galatioto Sports Partners to examine the possibility of securing new investors or selling a majority stake in the Stars, where Hicks has been owner since December 1995.

“While a sale is not a certainty, it is a possibility,” said Jeff Cogen, president of the Dallas Stars.

“Mr Hicks has received numerous inquiries about the team. Those potential investors recognise that the Stars are a success story.

“We have the third best record in the NHL since 1996. If you look at the team, it has been built in the right way – building from within. It’s a role model.”

It is a further sign of the cash-strapped Hicks tightening his financial belt, after last month agreeing to sell his controlling interest in Major League Baseball side the Texas Rangers for a final sale price that could exceed £310m.

And it follows the revelation earlier this week from Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow that Hicks and Anfield co-owner George Gillett must raise £100m of investment by the summer or face being forced to sell the club for significantly less than their £500m valuation.

Indeed, reports in the Unites States claimed yesterday that one of Hicks Sports Group’s lenders is forcing Hicks to sell Dallas Stars because of cash-flow problems at the club since they separated financially from the Texas Rangers last summer.

LIVERPOOL have sold goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov to FC Twente for £1.5million

The 21-year-old Bulgarian arrived from Levski Sofia in 2007 but never played for the first team.