Akane Shiga signs two‑year contract with PWHL Detroit

Japanese forward Akane Shiga has agreed to a two‑year deal with the expansion PWHL Detroit team ahead of the league’s 2026‑27 season. The 25‑year‑old, a two‑time Olympian who represented Japan at Beijing 2022 and Milan‑Cortina 2026, previously played two seasons with Luleå HF in Sweden, posting 12 goals and 38 points in 2025‑26 and leading the club in playoff scoring.

Shiga began her PWHL career with the Ottawa Charge in the league’s inaugural season, scoring two goals in 24 games and taking part in the first ever PWHL match at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena. In Detroit she will reunite with former Ottawa teammates Shiann Darkangelo and Daryl Watts as the franchise builds a 16‑forward roster that also includes Hannah Bilka, Jesse Compher and Hilary Knight. The league’s start date has not yet been set but is expected to be near the previous season’s November 21 opening.

Her signing marks a milestone as she was the first Japanese player to appear in the PWHL when she debuted in 2024, underscoring the league’s expanding international talent pool.