RW Mark Parrish is coming back to the big show.

After spending most fo the season in exile in the AHL, he was signed to a contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this week, and today he will be making his season debut with the Lightning as they take on the New York Rangers.

This will not stop the bleeding on defense, but it does beef up the offense with experience.  The official press release is below the fold.

LIGHTNING RECALL RW MARK PARRISH FROM NORFOLK OF THE AHL

TAMPA BAY –

The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled right wing Mark Parrish from the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League today, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Parrish is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound forward from Bloomington, Minnesota. He has played in 44 games with the Admirals this season, totaling 13 goals and 28 points. Parrish ranks tied for second on the club in points and fourth in goals.

A veteran of ten National Hockey League seasons, Parrish has appeared in 704 career NHL games with the Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, recording 216 goals and 169 assists in those games. Parrish, who appeared in the 2002 NHL All-Star Game, was originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round, 79th overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He is a six-time 20-goal scorer and reached the 30-goal plateau once.

Parrish, 33, appeared in 44 NHL games last season with the Stars, recording eight goals and five assists. Parrish has appeared in 48 career AHL games with the Admirals, Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Beast of New Haven, scoring 15 goals and 29 points.