The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned left wing Mark Hartigan to Syracuse and have released right wing Brent Walton from his amateur tryout contract.

Hartigan led the Crunch in goals (34) and points (75) in 2005-06, adding 41 assists and 48 penalty minutes in 49 games. He also scored a team-high 17 power play goals, which ranked ninth in the AHL, and finished tied for 14th in the league in scoring despite spending part of the season in Columbus. He tied for the AHL lead with nine game-winning goals. He has appeared in 242 career AHL games and collected 103 goals, 123 assists and 282 penalty minutes, while adding 2 goals, 6 assists and 12 penalty minutes in 16 career Calder Cup Playoffs games.

In 33 games with the Blue Jackets this season, Hartigan tallied 9 goals, 3 assists and 22 penalty minutes, including 8 goals, 3 assists in his last 11 outings. In 67 career NHL games with Columbus and Atlanta, he has registered 15 goals, 8 assists and 36 penalty minutes.

Walton, 22, appeared in six games with Syracuse, recording seven penalty minutes. A native of Elmira, Ontario, Walton signed an amateur tryout contract with Syracuse on March 27, 2006.

The Crunch host Manitoba for Game One of the North Division Semifinals on Friday, April 21. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Calder Cup Playoff tickets are available by calling the Crunch office at (315) 473-4444, stopping by the Oncenter box office located on the State Street side of the War Memorial or by calling TicketMaster at (315) 472-0700.