Wild GM Bill Guerin calls writer Jessi Pierce a ‘ray of sunshine’ after heartbreaking death involving her children
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Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin joined members of the hockey community in mourning the loss of beloved hockey writer Jessi Pierce and her three young children in a tragic house fire Saturday.
Guerin spoke to reporters when he called Pierce, a Wild reporter for NHL.com, a “ray of sunshine” and couldn’t contain how “devastated” he was for her family and friends.
“Words cannot express how devastated we all are,” Guerin said. “But, as I mentioned to some of you the other night, it doesn’t matter if you’re in the media, if you’re a player, if you’re in management, a coach, we’re all in the sports world and the hockey world, and we’re all in this together.”
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Jessi Pierce, left, pinned for the Minnesota Wild. (Minnesota Wild/AP)
Guerin talked about what it was like interacting with Pierce at work.
“Jessi was always happy, always in a good mood, she was always a pleasure to deal with for me and we will miss her,” he explained. “The best thing about our community is that no matter where you are (media, players, coach, manager), we are all in this together and we support each other.
“I just want you to know that we are here for you and anything we can do to help you through the tough times, we are here to help you.”
NHL WRITER, 3 CHILDREN DIE IN MINNESOTA HOUSE FIRE, OFFICIALS SAY
Pierce covered the Wild for 10 seasons with NHL.com, impacting not only Guerin and the front office, but the players as well. Wild forward Marcus Foligno told reporters the entire team was “devastated” to hear Pierce’s news, saying they will “surely miss her on the court.”
Pierce was known to bring his children to work, which Wild captain Jared Spurgeon noted.
“If you ever meet her, you feel the energy around her,” he said. “Every time he was here, he had a smile on his face, whether he was talking about the game at hand or just youth sports.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is introduced before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Grand Casino Arena on February 2, 2026 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI)
“I remember taking the kids to the dressing room and doing an interview holding [her son]. “It’s very difficult news to accept.”
Pierce has also published his work in The Athletic, the B1G Ice Hockey blog, Minnesota Hockey Journal and Massachusetts Hockey.
The incident involving Pierce and his children occurred in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, fire officials said. The White Bear Lake Fire Department responded to a report of a fire at a single-family home early Saturday morning.
Passersby reported seeing flames shooting through the roof, according to News 9. Fire crews also located the family’s dog, which also died in the fire.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin talks to the media about the trade for Quinn Hughes before the game against the Ottawa Senators at Grand Casino Arena on December 13, 2025 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI)
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“The Minnesota Wild organization is heartbroken by the tragic loss of Jessi Pierce and her children,” Wild said in a statement. “Jessi was a kind and compassionate person who cared deeply about her family and those around her. She served as a dedicated ambassador for the game of hockey during her time covering the Wild and the NHL.
“Jessi and her children will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to their family, friends and everyone who knew and loved them.”
News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for News Digital.