Colby Cave, Oilers Player, Placed Into Coma Due to Brain Bleed

Edmonton Oilers prospect Colby Caves was placed in a medically-induced coma after suffering a brain bleed overnight. The team announced the news on Tuesday and said that Cave was admitted to the critical care unit at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. “Please keep Colby & his wife Emily in your thoughts & prayers at this time,” the team wrote on Twitter.

The 25-year-old Cave appeared in 11 games for the Oilers during the 2019-20 season. However, he spent most of the year with their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Cave tallied 11 goals and 12 assists in 44 games for the Condors. He originally became a member of the Oilers after the team claimed him on waivers on Jan. 15, 2019.

“Sending prayers and best thoughts and wishes to Colby and his wife. Get well soon,” one NHL fan wrote on Twitter. Several others agreed with the sentiment and showed support with their comments. One fan also mentioned that Cave is a “humble and awesome person” and that he gave a young boy a signed hockey stick in Las Vegas.

There were several stories that surfaced on social media on Tuesday about Cave and his interactions with fans. Many said that he was a humble player while others specifically mentioned times that he had entertained their children. One fan wrote that Cave had given her son a “glass bump” during a preseason practice.

“The thoughts of #Condorstown are with Colby Cave, his wife Emily, and his entire family. Colby is in a medically-induced coma in Toronto after suffering a brain bleed overnight,” the Bakersfield Condors wrote on Twitter Tuesday. The team also posted a collage on social media featuring the 25-year-old, along with a message reading: “All love, Cave Man.”

Prior to joining the Oilers on waivers, Cave entered the league as a member of the Boston Bruins. He went undrafted in 2014 and signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Bruins in 2015. Cave made his official NHL debut on Dec. 21, 2017 when he appeared in the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

In four seasons split between the Oilers and Bruins, Cave registered nine points (four goals, five assists) in 67 games. He posted another 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 44 games with the Condors. Cave spent five seasons with the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, scoring 43 goals and 72 assists.