Overview
- PWHL Detroit announced the signings of defenders Mellissa Channell-Watkins, Stephanie Markowski and Mia Biotti, with Channell-Watkins and Markowski on two-year deals and Biotti on a one-year deal, bringing Detroit to 13 players under contract.
- Mellissa Channell-Watkins is a Plymouth, Michigan native and three-year PWHL veteran who joins her hometown club after a season with expansion Vancouver and back-to-back Walter Cup titles with Minnesota.
- Stephanie Markowski was the 20th overall pick in the 2024 PWHL Draft, posted a plus-6 rating in 2025-26, and brings experience from consecutive Walter Cup Final appearances.
- Mia Biotti made her rookie season with the Boston Fleet after earning a reserve contract, recorded two assists in 13 regular-season games, and will join Detroit for the 2026-27 season on a one-year deal.
- The moves come during the league’s Open Signing Period and reflect a wider pattern of expansion clubs using binding early offers and multiyear deals to lock in core players, a process that has raised player mobility and will affect competitive balance across the PWHL.