Fierce Competition, Friendly Faces
Chaldean Hockey League blends skill, heart and community spirit
By Steve Stein
The Chaldean Hockey League is a delicate balance of fierce competition, camaraderie and community.
Games in the weekly league are hard-fought, and emotions run high—especially in the playoffs, when the coveted Telga Cup, the league’s version of the NHL’s Stanley Cup, is on the line.
That intensity comes from familiarity. League players aren’t strangers—they’re friends, family members and part of the Chaldean community.
New co-commissioner Michael Sana, who is sharing the duties of running the six-team league with fellow new commissioner Jonathan Kello, described the league this way:
“I love this league,” he said. “I know hockey is just a game, but the players in the league take it very, very, very seriously, in a fun and respectful way.
“There’s no hockey league like it anywhere. It’s so competitive, and teams want to win so badly, but it’s like playing a sport every week with your family.”
Another aspect of the league that Sana loves is its annual charity event that raises thousands of dollars each year. Two years ago, nearly $15,000 was collected for the Help Iraq Foundation.
Sana and Kello took over the commissioner duties this season from Kyle Kassa, who moved out of the area to study at the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, located in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. Kassa returns home occasionally to play for Team Gold and see family.
Sana said he felt a responsibility to help keep the league going after Kassa stepped down.
“I had to step up. Kyle did an amazing job. We need to keep that going,” he said.
In addition to being a co-commissioner, handling the league’s social media accounts and designing the teams’ jerseys, Sana has another new role in the league. In his sixth year in the league, the Bloomfield Hills resident has taken over as Team Green captain after playing the past four seasons for Team Black. Normally a defenseman, he’s a forward for Team Green.
Like many players in the league, Sana has a hockey background. He started playing hockey when he was 3, and was a member of the Rochester Rattlers travel program in his formative years. Later, he played for Bloomfield Hills High School and he was a member of the Oakland University club team for four years. Off the ice, Sana is a fashion designer and CEO of Sana Detroit, which bills itself as the largest streetwear brand in Detroit, with a store in Somerset Mall in Troy.
Founded in 2004, the Chaldean Hockey League has survived two interruptions: a two-season pause to refocus on its philosophy and a COVID-19 shutdown.
There are about 13 players on each of the league teams this season, including about a dozen new players. A draft was held before the season, with each team allowed to retain two players. Regular-season league games are played Sunday mornings at the Novi Ice Arena. Playoff games are held on Sunday nights, mostly at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills.
The playoffs are scheduled to begin this season on February 9. They’ll continue for five to seven weeks, depending on the results of the post-season games. The top two teams in the regular-season standings receive byes in the first round of the playoffs. After a single-game wild-card round that eliminates two teams, the semifinals and finals are best-of-three series.
Team Blue, guided by captain Larry Kuza, won the league title and Telga Cup last year, defeating Team Red in the championship round of the playoffs.
It was the first league championship in seven years for Team Blue. Marino Seman had the most points for the team in the regular season and playoffs.
Here are league standings after seven games of the 2025-26 season:
Team Red: 5-1-0-1; 11 points
Team Blue: 4-2-0-1; 9 points
Team White: 4-2-0-1; 9 points
Team Black: 3-3-0-1; 7 points
Team Green: 3-4-0-0; 6 points
Team Gold: 2-5-0-0; 4 points
As the 2025-26 season heats up, the Chaldean Hockey League continues to deliver thrilling competition, lasting friendships and a strong sense of community. Whether on the ice or through its charity efforts, the league remains a place where family, camaraderie and passion for the game come together every week.