SAN JOSE, California - San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has signed forward Adam Burish to a four-year contract. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Burish, 29, posted a career-high 19 points (6-13=19) in 65 games played for Dallas in 2011-12. He finished sixth on the team in plus/minus rating (+6), third in penalty minutes (76) and had a 55.8% winning percentage in the faceoff circle.

In five-plus seasons, he has played for Dallas and Chicago totaling 297 regular season games played, 54 points (25-29=54) and 490 penalty minutes. He has recorded a positive plus/minus rating in each of his last four seasons and averaged 1:26 of shorthanded time on ice per game last season.

Burish has appeared in 32 career playoff games split over two playoff runs with Chicago, including being a part of the Stanley Cup winning team in 2009-10. He has posted five points (3-2=5) and 32 penalty minutes in those games.

“Adam is rugged, aggressive and brings a physical presence night in and night out,” said Wilson. “He has been on winning teams at every level of hockey and we feel that he brings versatility to our group of forwards”

Prior to entering the professional ranks, Burish spent four years at the University of Wisconsin. He was team captain, and teammate of current Shark Joe Pavelski, for the National Champion Badgers in 2005-06 where he was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.

The six-foot, 190-pound native of Madison, Wisconsin was originally selected by Chicago in the ninth round (282nd overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft.