Wild Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Jessi Pierce Impact & Newcomers Leaving Impression – The Hockey Writers – Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild had another busy week of games that saw two nice wins and one tough loss. They took down the Chicago Blackhawks on the road on Tuesday, Mar. 17, but then fell to them two days later, on Thursday, Mar. 19, at home. They finished the week with a big win over the Dallas Stars in overtime on Saturday afternoon, Mar. 21.

The Minnesota hockey community also suffered a terrible loss in the early morning hours on Saturday as NHL.com Wild writer Jessi Pierce, her three children, and their family dog passed away in a house fire. In this article, we’ll look at a couple of storylines to follow for the week of Mar. 23 – Mar. 30, but first, how Jessi made the hockey community better in Minnesota. 

Jessi Pierce’s Impact Will Not be Forgotten 

Although the Wild had a huge win over the Stars, something Jessi would’ve been so thrilled about, the atmosphere in the pressbox was somber after learning of her passing. She always had a smile on her face, no matter if the Wild won or lost, and she truly enjoyed her job and helping others who were trying to follow in the same path. She covered the sport in a unique way that made everyone love her. 

The Wild pressbox is going to be a lot quieter without Jessi there, and postgame scrums won’t be the same. She left a lasting impact on everyone who met her, and she will always be remembered with a smile on her face and her passion for her family and the game of hockey. 

Wild’s Newcomers Leaving Impressions 

In the last week, the Wild’s newcomers, Bobby Brink and Michael McCarron, have made their presence known, along with Nick Foligno. They made the right plays, threw big hits, and scored big goals, something the Wild need as they head down this final stretch. A lot of fans were excited for the trade deadline and were a little disappointed there wasn’t another Quinn Hughes-type trade, but they should be excited about what these new players have brought. 

The Wild have had a rough couple of weeks off and on, but that’s not because of these new players, who are still adjusting fully to the lineup. They’ve made a big impact in their short time here, and hopefully they can continue to contribute as the regular season reaches an end and the postseason begins. 

Wild’s Injury Woes 

The Wild have had their fair share of injuries this season, as every team in the NHL has had, but recently they’ve had some scares with both Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek. Both have been listed as day-to-day, and according to head coach John Hynes at practice Monday morning, Mar. 23, both of them will go on the team’s upcoming road trip, along with Marcus Foligno, who’s also been injured. It is unknown if any of them will play right away or later in the trip.

Related: Wild Can Handle Kaprizov’s Day-to-Day Injury; Need Him Healthy for the Playoffs

While it’s definitely a scare for fans to see two of their prominent players on the injured list, the good news is that if it’s day-to-day, that usually means nothing serious. Of course, that can change, but hopefully they just need some added rest to heal up whatever is bothering them, and they can come back stronger for a postseason run. 

Wild Schedule Mar. 23- Mar. 30