A federal judge in Pennsylvania has stopped the Edmonton Oilers from forcibly buying the junior league Erie Otters for $4.6 million US.

U.S. District Judge David Cercone stopped the sale by vacating a judgment the Oilers won against Otters owner Sherry Bassin last week.

The Erie Times-News reports the judge's order still lets the Oilers pursue the money Bassin allegedly owes, but in a separate lawsuit that won't force Bassin to sell the Otters.

An Oilers' subsidiary, Ontario Major Junior Hockey Corp., says it lent Bassin $4.2 million in a never-completed deal to buy the Otters. The subsidiary planned to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario.

Bassin hasn't commented on the judgment. He previously said he doesn't expect the lawsuit to affect plans to sell the team to one of two possible buyers.