Minnesota Wild Launch Award Honoring Late Reporter Jessi Pierce, Her 3 Children

One Wild player will receive the honor each season, chosen by the reporters who cover the team. Here's what Bill Guerin said.

By William Bornhoft, Patch Staff

Sep 28, 2026 2:13 PM CDT

A moment of silence was held for NHL.com reporter Jessi Pierce and her kids Hudson, Cayden and Avery Hinrichs prior to an NHL hockey game between the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

ST. PAUL, MN — The Minnesota Wild and the local reporters who cover the team have created a new annual award in memory of Jessi Pierce, the longtime NHL.com Wild reporter who died in a White Bear Lake house fire in March.

The Jessi Pierce Media Beauty Award, announced Monday, honors Pierce and her three children, Hudson, Cayden and Avery.

The award also celebrates the warmth, generosity and spirit Pierce brought to the rink every day.

The announcement came on what would have been Pierce's 39th birthday.

Each year, local media members will vote on the Wild player who best demonstrates professionalism, accessibility and respect in working with reporters. That player will receive the award.

"This award represents something much bigger than hockey," Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin said. "It honors the memory of Jessi and her children, and the positive impact she had on everyone she worked with. The warmth, kindness, and generosity she brought to the rink left a lasting impression on our hockey community, and we are honored to carry her legacy forward by recognizing those who embody that same spirit."

Pierce died March 21 along with her three children and the family dog.

She covered the Wild, the Minnesota Frost and hockey at all levels, sharing her love of the game with countless fans, according to the team. The Wild described her as a kind and empathetic person with an infectious spirit who always put her family and others first.

The reporters on the Wild beat said in a joint statement that Pierce arrived at the rink eager and excited every day, greeting everyone with her smile and her passion for hockey.

"She had a knack for asking questions and cultivating stories because she put players and coaches at ease with her curiosity and genuine interest," the reporters said. "We feel her absence daily, and this award will be a reminder of the rapport she had that is essential to covering the Wild and keeping the State of Hockey informed, which she loved doing."