It will be emotional the next time the Edmonton Oilers hit the ice.
On Saturday afternoon, the team will play the Colby Cave Memorial Fund Scrimmage at the Downtown Community Arena.
“It’s going to be a huge honour. He’s deeply missed. When I was in Bakersfield, I got to know him fairly well,” said Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto. “He’s one of the best guys I ever met.”
Cave passed away on April 11 at the age of 25. He had spent several days in a medically-induced coma after suffering a brain bleed.
“I knew him in the Bruins organization and then obviously here. Unbelievable human. We miss him. He’ll be missed in our locker-room,” said Oilers defenceman Matt Benning. “We talked as a group that we want to do something special here, and he’ll be right there with us.”
On Saturday, all the Oilers will wear Cave’s No. 12. The jerseys will be auctioned off at a later date with all proceeds going to the Colby Cave Memorial Foundation. Proceeds from this fund will go toward community programs with an emphasis on mental health initiatives and providing access to sports for underprivileged children.
“I think Colby is always in everybody’s thoughts. He was a great teammate, a good friend to everybody. We just thought this game would pay respect to him and his family,” said Oilers head coach Dave Tippett.
“The foundation that was put in place in Colby’s name, the players care about that. They want to see it help people that Colby would’ve wanted to help.”
Cave played 67 NHL games for the Oilers and Boston Bruins. He scored a spectacular goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 2. It would turn out to be his final goal in the NHL.
“They really want to pay their respects with everyone wearing Colby’s number,” said Tippett.
Watch below: Some recent Global News videos about the Edmonton Oilers.