A Sad Day For Hockey

Today is a tough day for the hockey world. As you're very aware, the pandemic has ended hockey for the time being with no return in sight yet, and it seems like any rush to get back to playing would be a serious error in judgment. Today, though, the pandemic is second on my mind after it was announced that 25 year-old Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave has passed away after suffering a brain bleed on Monday and being placed in medically-induced coma on Tuesday. To say this is tragic would be an understatement as Cave had just found himself a potential everyday player with the Oilers, had just married his wife, and was embarking on the adventure of life.

According to reports, "Cave underwent emergency surgery on Tuesday with doctors removing a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain." For those asking, a colloid cyst is a "benign cystic fluid collections that occur within the fluid-filled ventricles of the brain". If this is what caused the bleed, that's a pretty scary situation.

It was announced today that Cave had passed away, and I want to pass on my deepest condolences from Hockey Blog In Canada to his wife Emily and both his and her families. This is a loss that will ripple through the hockey world after Cave's times in the WHL with Swift Current, the AHL with both Providence and Bakersfield, and the NHL with Boston and Edmonton.

"I'm so shocked and saddened to hear this horrible news. It's hard to put my feelings into words," Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk stated on social media. "I was lucky to play junior hockey with Colby. He was our captain and leader. It was an unforgettable moment when we again played together in the NHL for the Boston Bruins. He was an amazing person, player and friend. Sending my deepest condolences to Emily and the Cave family."

I only saw Cave play once with Bakersfield when the Condors visited the Manitoba Moose. You could tell he had the talent and the drive to crack an NHL roster at some point. He would play eleven games with the Oilers last season, scoring one goal in those eleven contests, but it was a beauty as he torched Pittsburgh for the marker.

Colby is an awesome person who scored an awesome goal for us this season.

The entire #Oilers family is sending you all our love & strength right now, @Cavemn10.

💙🧡💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/A5uZNmPZMl

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 7, 2020

There's nothing I can say that will ever erase the pain that Emily and their families feel, but losing a player like Colby Cave at such a young age is a sad day for everyone. There will be a hole in a number of hearts and on a hockey roster for the foreseeable future, and I'm sad we won't be able to see this young man follow his dreams further.

Rest in peace, Colby.

Until next time, hold your sticks high in honour of Colby Cave!