TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-assigned defensemen Max Crozier and Emil Lilleberg to their American Hockey League affiliate the Syracuse Crunch, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
Crozier, 23, has skated in 13 games with the Lightning this season, posting two assists. He made his NHL debut January 13 vs. Anaheim and picked up his first NHL point in his fifth game January 23 at Philadelphia. In 32 games with Syracuse this season, Crozier has recorded a goal and eight points to lead all Crunch rookie defensemen for games, assists (7) and scoring. The Calgary native was a fourth-round selection (120th overall) of the Lightning in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Lilleberg, 23, has played in 23 games with the Lightning this season, recording three assists. He made his NHL debut January 6 at Boston to become just the ninth Norwegian to play in the NHL. He notched his first NHL point three days later in his second game January 9 vs. Los Angeles. In 31 games with Syracuse this season, Lilleberg tallied a goal and 12 points to rank sixth among all Crunch defensemen for scoring. Lilleberg was originally a fourth-round selection (107th overall) of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2021 NHL Draft and signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Lightning on June 5, 2023.
