Tragedy struck the hockey community on March 22, 2026, when NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children perished in a house fire in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. According to reports, the fully developed fire broke out at approximately 5:30 PM local time on Saturday evening at a residence in the Minnesota community.
The Minnesota Wild NHL team confirmed that the victims were 37-year-old Jessi Pierce and her three children. The family's dog also died in the blaze. Pierce had worked for ten years as a hockey reporter for NHL.com, with a particular focus on covering the Minnesota Wild.
We are crushed and unite with the State of Hockey in mourning the tragic loss of Jessi and her children. May they rest in peace.
In a statement on social media, the Wild organization expressed devastation, writing: 'We are crushed and unite with the State of Hockey in mourning the tragic loss of Jessi and her children. May they rest in peace.' Bill Price, vice president and editor-in-chief of NHL.com, described Pierce as someone whose 'love for her family and for hockey was evident in the energy and passion she contributed to her work for us.'
Nashville Predators coach Andrew Brunette, who previously worked with the Minnesota Wild, paid tribute to Pierce, calling her 'a fantastic person who loved hockey and loved people.' The cause of the fire remains under investigation according to reports.
a fantastic person who loved hockey and loved people