NOTES: NHL SUSPENDS SALEI.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

The NHL suspended Ducks defenseman Ruslan Salei five games without pay and fined him $1,000 Friday for a hit that left Daniel Briere of Phoenix with a concussion.

Salei was suspended for kicking Briere's feet out from under him while delivering a body check against the boards in the second period of an exhibition game Tuesday. Briere flipped backwards from the hit and suffered a concussion. No penalty was given on the play.

``The actions by Salei were reckless and dangerous,'' said NHL Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell.

``There can be no excuse for a player delivering this type of hit on an opponent.''

Salei will miss the first five games of the season, starting with tonight's opener in Washington.

Houda dealt: The Ducks traded veteran defenseman Doug Houda to Detroit for future considerations.

Houda, 32, split last season with Anaheim and the New York Islanders, collecting two goals, four assists and 99 penalty minutes in 55 games.

The Red Wings, who originally selected Houda in the second round of the 1984 draft, have assigned him to their American Hockey League affiliate in Glens Falls, New York.

During 12 National Hockey League seasons, Houda has 19 goals, 62 assists and 1,090 penalty minutes in 556 games.

Back on track: Buffalo left for its season opener in Dallas with some baggage it didn't mind carrying at all - the skates, stick and smarts of its top defenseman, Alexei Zhitnik.

Zhitnik, who again missed all of training camp pending resolution of his contract, signed a two-year deal for $2.5 million per year plus bonuses that could add another six figures.

``I will definitely be in training camp next year,'' said Zhitnik, who will play against the Stars tonight.

Zhitnik, a former King, flew from his native Ukraine on Wednesday, and he and agent Serge Levin met with Sabres general manager Darcy Regier and team negotiator Kevin Billet on Thursday.

Thanks, Rob: Benefitting from the three-year, $15.8 million deal the Kings gave Rob Blake, Dallas defensman Derian Hatcher received a four-year contract extension worth an average of $4 million a season, the team said.

Hatcher, 26, has one year remaining on a two-year agreement he signed last October, which will pay him $2.6 million this season.

The team's captain since 1995-96, Hatcher had six goals, 25 assists and 132 penalty minutes in 70 games last season, his fifth with the team. When his contract expires after the 2002-2003 season, Hatcher will be 31, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency.

Another beneficiary: Montreal filled a major void in its defense by signing defenseman Vladimir Malakhov to a two-year contract. Malakhov's deal is worth $5.275 million.

One more year: Esa Tikkanen officially returned to the New York Rangers for the third time in his 14-year career when he signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal.

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Photo: RUSLAN SALEI

Ducks defensemen will miss five games because of hit he made in exhibition game