The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Columbus Blue Jackets recalled AHL All-Star defenseman Derrick Walser.

Walser, 23, was the top scoring defenseman in the AHL this year with 23 goals (a Crunch single season record for goals by a defenseman). His 61 points led the Crunch and tied him for the overall defensemen lead in the AHL.

A native of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Walser has appeared in 203 career AHL games, tallying 47 goals, 84 assists and 140 penalty minutes with Saint John and Syracuse. He was a member of the Saint John team that won the 2000-01 Calder Cup.

Walser, who will wear number 23, is expected to be in the line-up tonight when Columbus hosts the San Jose Sharks at Nationwide Arena. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Tickets to the Crunch’s first-round playoff games are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Crunch’s sales 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.