(file photo/Canadian Press)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Rally for Colby

Battleford and area residents invited to show support, respect for Cave family

Apr 12, 2020 | 3:24 PM

The untimely death of NHL hockey player Colby Cave has sent shock waves through the hockey world and in particular, his home town of Battleford.

The 25-year-old Edmonton Oilers forward died Saturday after suffering a brain bleed earlier this week.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic affects the way some may normally grieve and support, the public is being invited to pay their respects in a way that respects social distancing.

Close friends of the Cave family are asking those who can to form a line of vehicles on the westbound shoulder of Highway 16 at about 3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 13. People are encouraged to wear hockey jerseys or make signs the Cave family will see when they return from Toronto. The line will start at Redhead Equipment and Ritchie Bro’s Auctions. The RCMP and Battlefords fire departments will lead the family from that point across the bridges to the Kramer Cat building, at which point the family will head home.

A post on the Battlefords North Stars Facebook page said ‘the Battlefords and area lost a son, brother, friend and local hero and icon in the hockey world.’

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It goes on to read, ‘Colby will be missed not only by his family and friends, but by a community who loved him and was proud of what he accomplished throughout his hockey career. He was proud of where he grew up and continued to put the Battlefords on the map as a place that has great athletes and great people as a whole.’

Cave was placed in a medically-induced coma on Tuesday in Toronto. He underwent emergency surgery with doctors removing a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain. Cave’s agent, Jason Davidson, said the situation didn’t appear to be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cave scored once in 11 appearances with Edmonton this season. He had 11 goals and 23 points in 44 games with the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors this season.

Cave played five seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos, where he saw time as captain, before joining the Boston Bruins’ organization for the 2014-15 season after going undrafted. The Oilers claimed Cave off waivers on Jan. 15, 2019.

Cave had four goals and five assists over 67 NHL games with Boston and Edmonton.

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(With files from Canadian Press)