Detroit's team in the Professional Women's Hockey League signed former Japanese Olympian Akane Shiga to a two-year contract for the 2027-28 season.Shiga, who made history as the PWHLs first Japanese player in 2024, brings Detroits roster to 16 players under coach Josh Sciba for the teams inaugural season.Shiga competed for Ottawa in the PWHLs first season and scored two goals in 24 games and played in the leagues first game at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2024. The 25-year-old from Hokkaido, Japan, spent the last two seasons in Swedens SDHL as a member of Lulea HF, finishing second in team scoring last year with 38 points (12G, 26A) in 36 regular-season games. She led the club in postseason scoring with seven points (2G, 5A) in six playoff appearances.The two-time Olympian tied for Japans 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 Womens World Championships in the top division tournament.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, HilaryKnight and Olivia Wallin. The roster also includes defensemen Sydney Bard, Cayla Barnes, Mia Biotti, Mellissa Channell-Watkins, Nina Jobst-Smith and Stephanie Markowski, plus goaltender Alice Philbert.This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: PWHL Detroit signs Japanese Olympian for inaugural season