Colby Cave

Colby Cave (December 26, 1994 – April 11, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 67 games for the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 2017 and 2020. He also played several seasons with their respective affiliates in the American Hockey League, the Providence Bruins and Bakersfield Condors. Prior to turning professional in 2015 Cave played major junior with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League.

Colby Cave
Cave with the Providence Bruins in 2015
Born (1994-12-26)December 26, 1994
North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada
Died April 11, 2020(2020-04-11) (aged 25)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Boston Bruins
Edmonton Oilers
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2015–2020

Playing career

Junior

Cave was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan and grew up in the town of Battleford, Saskatchewan. [1] He first played locally with the Battlefords Stars in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League from 2009 to 2011. He was drafted to the major junior level with the 13th selection in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft in 2009 by the Kootenay Ice.[2] Cave's rights were later traded by Kootenay to the Swift Current Broncos on January 9, 2011.[3]

In his third full season with the Broncos, Cave was named team captain.[4] He continued his development by elevating his offensive game to almost a point-per-game pace finishing with 70 points in 72 games. Eligible for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Cave was listed 157th overall by ISS Hockey, however, he was passed over. At the conclusion of his final junior season, placing second on the club in points with 75 in 72 games, Cave was signed as an undrafted free agent to a three-year, entry level contract by the Boston Bruins on April 4, 2015.[5]

Professional

Cave spent most of the first three years of his professional career with the Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Bruins.[6] During the final season of his rookie contract with the Bruins in 2017–18, Cave received his first recall to the NHL on an emergency basis by the Bruins on December 21, 2017.[7] He made his NHL debut, playing alongside line-mate and former Broncos junior teammate, Jake DeBrusk, in a 2–1 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets. He was then returned to Providence following the game.[8]

Following another call-up by the Boston team in the 2018–19 season, on December 17, 2018, Cave scored his first NHL career goal in a 4–0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens.[9] He remained with Boston to appear in 20 games, posting 1 goal and 5 points, before he was placed on waivers by the Bruins for reassignment to the American Hockey League (AHL). On January 15, 2019, Cave left the Bruins organization after he was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers, [10] with whom he played 11 games in the 19–20 season.[1]

Death

Cave suffered acute obstructive hydrocephalus due to a colloid cyst overnight on April 6–7, 2020, and underwent emergency surgery on April 7. He was kept in a medically induced coma until his death on the morning of April 11, at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto.[11][6]

Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2008–09 Battlefords Stars SMHL 30112 —————
2009–10 Battlefords Stars SMHL 4215213640 —————
2010–11 Battlefords Stars SMHL 4414223628 —————
2010–11 Battlefords North Stars SJHL 30110 —————
2010–11 Swift Current Broncos WHL 10000 —————
2011–12 Swift Current Broncos WHL 706101636 —————
2012–13 Swift Current Broncos WHL 7221204139 52248
2013–14 Swift Current Broncos WHL 7233377030 60220
2014–15 Swift Current Broncos WHL 7235407552 42022
2014–15 Providence Bruins AHL 10000 —————
2015–16 Providence Bruins AHL 7513162927 32135
2016–17 Providence Bruins AHL 7613223552 1715618
2017–18 Providence Bruins AHL 7211223329 40002
2017–18 Boston Bruins NHL 30002 —————
2018–19 Providence Bruins AHL 156121813 —————
2018–19 Boston Bruins NHL 201458 —————
2018–19 Edmonton Oilers NHL 332138 —————
2019–20 Edmonton Oilers NHL 111014 —————
2019–20 Bakersfield Condors AHL 4411122324 —————
NHL totals 6745922 —————

See also
  • List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career

References
  1. "Widow of 25-year-old NHL player mourns his death in heartbreaking post". TODAY.com. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  2. "ICE SELECT FORWARD IN FIRST ROUND". kootenayice.net. May 2, 2013. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  3. "Broncos move Eakin to Kootenay". Western Hockey League. January 9, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
  4. "Broncos Name Cave Captain". scbroncos.com. September 26, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  5. "Bruins sign Colby Cave to entry-level contract". Boston Bruins. April 4, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  6. "Oilers forward Colby Cave dies after suffering brain bleed". CBC.ca. April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  7. "Bruins recall Colby Cave on an emergency basis". Boston Bruins. December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  8. "Colby Cave, with old friend on his line, makes NHL debut". Providence Journal. December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  9. Farrell, Sean (December 17, 2018). "Halak makes 22 saves, Bruins shut out Canadiens". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved December 17, 2018. Colby Cave scored his first NHL goal and had an assist...
  10. "Oilers claim Colby Cave from Boston". Edmonton Oilers. January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  11. "Oilers' Cave has surgery, remains in coma". TSN.ca. April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
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