Former Bruins and Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave has passed away at the age of 25, according to his family. The native of Saskatchewan had a brain hemmorhage (stroke) in his sleep on April 8th and has been in a medically induced coma ever since. Tributes are pouring in from all over the hockey world in a tragic day for the sport.Colby Cave was an undrafted free agent signing, choosing the Bruins back in 2015, signing an entry-level deal with the team. He was brought up to the NHL on an emergency basis on December 18th, 2017, and helped the Bruins defeat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. The Bruins recalled him during the 2018-19 season in which he scored his first NHL goal in a 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
The Bruins placed Cave on assignment waivers in early 2019 and he was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers. In his Bruins career, he played 23 NHL games and scored 1 goal and 5 points.
During his Oilers tenure, the forward posted 3 goals and 1 assist in 44 games, but spent the majority of the time this past year playing for their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield (California) Condors. Mostly a checking line forward, Cave brought toughness and grit to every team he played for, and has been described by many as a special person and great teammate, including Zdeno Chara, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Connor McDavid. Former linemate and twice teammate Jake DeBrusk emphasized his leadership roles in his statement.
The hockey world was better off having a person like Colby Cave in it. We here at Guy Boston offer our sincerest condolences to his family and wife, Emily, during this horrible series of events. Rest in peace, Colby Cave.
Photo: (Karl DeBlaker – AP Photo)