Lightning sign Busenburg

The Tampa Bay Lightning, National Hockey League affiliate of the Springfield Falcons, today announced that the club has signed defenseman Marc Busenburg. As per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Busenburg, 26, led Hershey and tied for fourth among AHL defensemen in plus/minus last season at plus-24. Busenburg also recorded nine points (2g, 7a) and 27 penalty minutes in 64 games with Hershey after attending training camp with the Lightning last season.

The Shrewsbury, Mass., native registered 11 points (5g, 6a) in 44 games with Hershey in 2002-03, and saw time with Rochester during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.

“Busenburg has played very well in Hershey the last two seasons and is a proven defenseman who will provide us great depth at a critical position,” said Falcons president and general manager Bruce Landon.

On Jan. 12, 2002, Busenburg preformed a rare feat by playing in two professional games in one day. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound blueliner played for Rochester in a 3-2 overtime win at Albany in the afternoon, then rejoined Adirondack of the UHL for a game that night at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

In 141 career AHL games, Busenburg, a product of the University of Connecticut, has recorded a plus-29 rating, 23 points (7g, 16a) and 43 PIM.