Quote from Oladosun Joshua Segun on March 23, 2026, 4:54 AM

After a devastating tragedy, the hockey community is in shock. The NHL reported that Jessi Pierce, a writer for the Minnesota Wild, and her three children, Hudson, Cayden, and Avery, perished in a house fire on March 21. Her age was 37.

“The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three young children,” on March 22, the league released a statement. “Jessi loved our game and was a valued member of the NHL.com team for a decade. We will miss her terribly.”

According to a press release from the White Bear Lake Fire Department, firefighters responded to a residential structure fire at a single-family home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, one day prior after neighbors reported seeing fire coming through the house's roof. The organization reported that three children, an adult, and a dog were found inside the house by responding officials; all of them were dead.

The source of the fire is being looked into by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office.

Jessi, an Iowa State University graduate, has had her work published in a number of magazines, such as USA Hockey, The Athletic, and the Minnesota Hockey Journal. In addition, she co-hosted the Bardown Beauties podcast, which covered both the Wild and the hockey community in general.

As to an obituary released by the hockey league, Jessi was a cherished member of her community and a "fixture" in the press box at the Grand Casino Arena during her ten seasons covering the NHL franchise. She was also known for her commitment to her family, frequently taking one of her children to see the Wild exercise.

In a statement released after the fire, the Wild described Jessi as "a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her." In response to the X post, a number of NHL teams expressed their sympathies to her family and the hockey community in Minnesota.

Kirsten Krull, Jessi's co-host of Bardown Beauties, also honored her late podcast colleague on Instagram, saying that her children "loved her kids and family fiercely" and that she was "like another big sister."

“Hudson, Cayden and Avery were the best kids,” Kirsten added, “and I’m so grateful she let me be part of their lives.”

Following the incident, Michael Russo, a reporter for The Athletic, sent Jessi's husband Mike Pierce an especially moving message.

“My heart breaks for Mike for the loss of his wife and children and Jessi’s family, friends and colleagues for this unimaginable loss,” he penned on X. “Please keep Jessi and her beautiful kids in your thoughts and prayers. I wish Mike all the peace and support and happiness in the world.”