DETROIT, MI – PWHL Detroit today announced that forward Akane Shiga has been signed to a two-year Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Standard Player Agreement through the 2027-28 season. Shiga, who made history as the PWHL’s first-ever Japanese player in 2024, brings Detroit’s roster up to 16 players under contract for the team’s inaugural 2026-27 season.
Shiga competed for Ottawa in the PWHL’s inaugural season and scored two goals across 24 games, also taking the ice in the league’s first-ever game at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2024. The 25-year-old from Hokkaido, Japan, spent the last two seasons in Sweden’s SDHL as a member of Luleå HF, finishing second in team scoring during the 2025-26 campaign with 38 points (12G, 26A) in 36 regular-season games and leading the club in postseason scoring with seven points (2G, 5A) in six playoff appearances. The two-time Olympian tied for Japan’s scoring lead in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan with three points (1G, 2A) in four games. Her international experience also includes six IIHF Women’s World Championships in the top division tournament.
On PWHL Detroit, Shiga reunites with her former Ottawa teammates Shiann Darkangelo and Daryl Watts, and joins fellow forwards Hannah Bilka, Jesse Compher, Britta Curl-Salemme, Taylor Girard, Hilary Knight and Olivia Wallin. The roster also includes signed defenders Sydney Bard, Cayla Barnes, Mia Biotti, Mellissa Channell-Watkins, Nina Jobst-Smith and Stephanie Markowski, plus goaltender Alice Philbert.
A complete list of player signings and transactions is available on the official PWHL Transactions Page. To see the full overview of the status of PWHL player contracts, visit the PWHL Contract Guide here.
ABOUT PWHL DETROIT
PWHL Detroit is one of 12 teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women’s hockey players in the world. PWHL Detroit was officially announced as one of the league’s four new expansion teams on May 6 and will debut at Little Caesars Arena in the fall. Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here, opens in a new tab to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL Detroit’s historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit DetroitPWHL.com, subscribe to the newsletter here, opens in a new tab and follow the team on Facebook PWHL Detroit, opens in a new tab, Instagram @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, X @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, TikTok @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, YouTube PWHL Detroit, opens in a new tab, Threads @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, and Bluesky @PWHL--Detroit, opens in a new tab.
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