Former Bruins center Colby Cave dies at 25 after brain surgery

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There are few sadder tragedies than young people taken with their whole lives still ahead of them.

Tragically, that's the case for 25-year-old former Bruins center Colby Cave, who died on Saturday after undergoing brain surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was putting pressure on his brain. After a brain bleed began overnight Tuesday, Cave had been in a medically-induced coma while the hockey community hoped and prayed for a miracle recovery.

The miracle sadly didn’t come for Cave, who joined the Edmonton Oilers in January 2019 after four seasons in the Bruins organization. The super-nice, hard-working kid from Saskatchewan had made a great impression from 2014-19 at Providence of the AHL and in Boston.

“It is with great sadness to share the news that our Colby Cave has passed away early this morning,” Colby’s wife Emily said in a brief statement. “I [Emily] and both our families are in shock, but know Colby was loved dearly by us, his family and friends, the entire hockey community, and many more. We thank everyone for their prayers during this difficult time.”

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was part of the group that originally signed Cave as an undrafted free agent after his junior hockey career with the Swift Current Broncos and he had passed along his hopes for his former player while on a Zoom conference call with reporters on Friday.

"Colby [Cave] is a special young man and he needs our love and support right now,” Sweeney said. “We wish him well and send our thoughts and prayers [to his family].”

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy and P-Bruins coach Jay Leach had offered their support earlier this week as well. 

The undrafted center had played mostly for the AHL's Bakersfield Condors this season and was admitted to the critical care unit at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto three days ago after the brain bleed. Cave joined the Oilers on Jan. 15, 2019, after being waived by the Bruins. He had a goal and five points in 23 career games with Boston.

Cave's former B's teammate Torey Krug tweeted his condolences and added a video of Cave's only Bruins goal in a 4-0 victory in Montreal on Dec. 17, 2018:

Brad Marchand was also among many honoring Cave on social media:

Cave's best season with the B's organization came in 2016-17 when he had 13 goals and 35 points in 76 games with Providence that preceded his two stints with Boston.

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