The New Jersey Titans are proud to announce the selections of Ryan Friedman, Alex Papaspyropoulos, and Austin McNicholas to the 2025 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament being held at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan on February 17th and 18th. Additionally, Equipment Manager Aiden Zielaznicki, Broadcaster Zak McGinniss, and Social Media/Graphics Coordinator Sarah Hopwood have been selected to attend the event by the league.
Friedman, one of New Jersey’s alternate captains, has recorded 37 points in 40 games this year. The North Merrick, New York native is in his third NAHL season and second with New Jersey, after debuting with Janesville in 2022. The former Long Island Gull has recorded points in each contest since logging his 100th game in the league on January 11th, putting up 3 goals and 5 assists in that span.
Papaspyropoulos leads the Titans with 20 goals in 35 games. His 49 points ranks second on the team, and with a goal and assist against Danbury on Saturday, the forward from Whitby, Ontario, is now a point per game player in the league, recording 74 points in 73 games. Coming over from the OJHL, Papaspyropoulos began his NAHL career with Amarillo last season, putting up 25 points in 38 games.
McNicholas has a record of 13-9-3 over 26 games in his first season in the NAHL, with a goals against average of 3.26 and a save percentage of .908. Hailing from Clarence Center, New York, the 2004 birth year played the previous 2 seasons with Chilliwack in the BCHL before coming to New Jersey last summer, where he amassed a 33-23-5 record. The first Titan goaltender selected to the Top Prospects Tournament since Brandon Perrone in 2018, he is ranked 8th in the league in minutes played and 5th in saves.
Zielaznicki is in his first season as the Head Equipment Trainer for the New Jersey Titans. Promoted over the summer to replace Jake Kapel, now with RIT, Zielaznicki continues the tradition of Titans’ equipment managers setting a high standard across the league by becoming the third consecutive Titan Equipment Manager selected for the Top Prospects Tournament. A graduate of Kutztown University in 2022, Zielaznicki was a point per game player for the Golden Bears before transition to a role off the ice.
McGinniss joined the New Jersey Titans for the 2020-21 season as their color commentator, and moved into the play-by-play role following the Titans’ Robertson Cup Championship in 2022. A native of New Jersey, he was previously named as the NA3HL Broadcaster of the Year with the Norwich Sea Captains, and won his first awards as the voice of hockey in Danbury in 2017 and 2020. Most recently, he was named as a Finalist for the NAHL Broadcaster of the Year award last season.
Hopwood returns to the Top Prospects tournament for her second season, this time in a social media role. Starting as the National Anthem singer in 2017, she has risen through the ranks to become New Jersey’s Social Media and Graphics Coordinator in 2021, and most recently was named as the arena’s Director of Marketing in 2024. She is a graduate of Middletown North High School and is currently attending college at the University of Southern New Hampshire.
Fans will be able to follow the action live from USA Hockey Arena on NAHLtv. Friedman, Papaspyropoulos, and McNicholas will be in action on Monday, February 17th, at 4:00pm when the East Division faces off against the Selects Black team. The three will then get back on the ice for the early game on Tuesday, February 18th, when the East will play the South Division.