On Hockey Day Minnesota 2016, Minnesota Hockey announced Grace Sadura of Minnetonka Youth Hockey Association as the winner of the 2016 HEP Essay Contest, presented by Park Dental. 

Sadura was one of three contest finalists that were highlighted on Fox Sports North (FSN) throughout the course of Hockey Day Minnesota. The other finalists were Landon Hale of St. Cloud Youth Hockey Association and Kendra Distad of Burnsville Hockey Club. The finalists were selected by a committed based on their responses to this year's topic, "Hockey teaches me about..."