‘Superstar of a person:’ Former coach, hockey community mourn the loss of Colby Cave

Colby Cave is being remembered for his infectious smile, his down to earth attitude and his incredible work ethic.

It’s those attributes that helped land the 25-year-old Battleford, Sask. native on NHL rosters, but more than anything else, those same attributes made him a beloved teammate, family member and friend away from hockey.

Martin Smith coached Cave when he played for his hometown Battlefords Stars Midget AAA team as a 15-year-old. He will never forget the impact Cave had on him and the Battleford community.

“He was the type of player that no matter where he played, he always remembered where he came from. Everywhere he went he was a leader. He knew he was in a position to be a leader, but he relished that. Everyone looked up to him. Everybody loved Colby,” Smith said.

Cave died on Saturday morning at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Ont. after suffering a brain bleed earlier in the week.

The former Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins player was rushed to a hospital in Barrie, Ont. on Monday before being airlifted to Sunnybrook for an emergency surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain.

His wife, Emily Cave posted an emotional tribute to her husband on Saturday morning.

“My heart is shattered,” she said.

“The amount of physical, mental, and emotional pain I am in when I think about never seeing, touching, or holding you again is unbearable. You are and will always be my person, my hero, the greatest thing to happen to me. I never dreamed of being a widow before our first wedding anniversary. Although, every cell in my body is lost without you, I promise to continue to make you proud.”

The hockey community joined Cave’s wife to show messages of love and support online.

Janet and I are so sad to hear of Colby’s passing. He was a wonderful hockey player with a bright future, but an even better person. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Emily and his entire family.

— Wayne Gretzky (@WayneGretzky) April 11, 2020

Smith vividly remembers Cave attending one of his annual conditioning camps before players would travel to training camps for their respective teams each fall. After roughly an hour of intensive drills, Smith finished the session by asking the players if they want to end with 3-on-3 hockey or extra conditioning. Cave was the only person on the ice voting to keep skating.

“Everyone looked towards him, like, ‘Wow, here a guy playing pro wants to do the extra skating,’” Smith said of that day at the hockey camp.

“The next year (Colby) wasn’t there, and I asked the same question and it was a different answer from a lot of the players. That just speaks values of how they looked up to him and how they remembered his answer the year before and how you have to work extra to get where you want to go.”

The Swift Current Broncos are devastated to hear of the passing of our former captain, Colby Cave. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this time.

Rest In Peace, Caver. pic.twitter.com/iaj4M3KnFU

— Swift Current Broncos (@SCBroncos) April 11, 2020

After going through the Battlefords minor hockey system, Cave was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. He played for four seasons with the Swift Current Broncos, including two seasons as the team’s captain, before going undrafted in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Cave was then signed by the Boston Bruins and played parts of four seasons with its minor league affiliate, the Providence Bruins, before scoring his first NHL goal on Dec. 17, 2018.

Colby Cave's first NHL goal. We will never forget. pic.twitter.com/Ff0uB5SmYf

— NHL (@NHL) April 11, 2020

Less than a month later, Cave was claimed off waivers by the Edmonton Oilers to send him closer to home to accomplish his hockey dreams.

Once Cave arrived in Edmonton, people in Battleford cheered even harder for their hometown hero.

“It was so cool to see him play for an NHL team that was so close to us,” Smith said.

Even though his dreams of one day hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head changed locations, Smith said Cave was always willing to make time for people and go beyond a simple five-second chat.

“No matter how much time passed, he always treated you like his best friend,” Smith said. “Just such a fun-loving kid.”

“That was Colby. He was interested, he was small town at heart and he never forgot where he came from.”

Cave’s work ethic took him far, but his attitude and treatment towards everyone along the way is what makes his sudden loss so difficult for anyone that knew him. Smith will remember the man off the ice, his kind gestures and strive to always be greater as Cave’s lasting legacy.

“He may have been a fringe NHL player, but he was a superstar of a person,” Smith said.