During his time with the Bruins, Cave played in 23 NHL games and scored one goal. In December 2018, the Edmonton Oilers claimed Cave off waivers from the Bruins, and he played in 44 games, scoring four goals.
On the evening of April 6, 2020, Cave began complaining of headaches, and his condition deteriorated throughout the night. He was airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where doctors performed emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing a brain bleed.
Cave was placed in a medically-induced coma, and he died on April 11, 2020, at the age of 25.
Dr. Charles Tator, a neurosurgeon and concussion researcher, described Cave’s death as:
Cave’s death was met with shock and sadness from the hockey community. His teammates, coaches and fans mourned the loss of a talented and dedicated player.
The Edmonton Oilers announced the establishment of the Colby Cave Memorial Fund to support community programs that promote mental health and provide access to sports for underserved youth.
Despite his short career in the NHL, Colby Cave left an impact.
Emily Cave, the widow of Colby Cave, has been very vocal about her journey through grief, hoping to help others who may be struggling.
In her book, “For Colb: The Vow Beyond Till Death Do Us Part,” Emily shares the unfiltered truth about her experience with grief. She turned to writing as a way to cope, using her public social media presence to express her thoughts and feelings.
