IRVING - In Ken Hitchcock's opinion, the four-game suspension of Stars defenseman Derian Hatcher by the NHL wasn't shocking. It was a sign of the times.

"It sends a very clear message from the league that they're going to act swiftly and severely on any blows to the head," said Hitchcock, the Stars' coach. "They're telling us very early that they mean business."

Hatcher was the first order of business after punching St. Louis' Chris Pronger in a Monday exhibition game, then cross-checking him while Pronger was trying to regain his balance.

Colin Campbell, the NHL's new senior vice president and director of hockey operations, suspended Hatcher on Wednesday for four exhibition games - he will miss the next three - and fined him the maximum $1, 000.

That means Hatcher won't be in uniform this weekend when the Stars play Nashville on Friday and Tampa Bay on Saturday, both at Reunion Arena.

"This [severe of a penalty] is going to filter through the players quickly," center Guy Carbonneau said. "I'm sure there is going to be some discussion among the players that this is an area the league is focused on."

Hitchcock, though, wasn't upset by Hatcher's actions, saying the hit was retribution.

"This is ongoing with these two guys," he said. "They're both leaders on their hockey clubs. There was an incident that happened earlier in the game, and this was the reaction."

© 1998 The Dallas Morning News All Rights Reserved

Bart Hubbuch / Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News, NHL addresses head injury risk with Hatcher suspension., The Dallas Morning News, 09-25-1998, pp 5B.