Of course, I didn’t know Colby Cave as well as his family, teammates, and coaches. He played 44 games for the Oilers, and I probably had no more than 7 or 8 meaningful conversations with him. That’s the nature of doing what I do—

it’s not 1950 anymore, relationships between working media & players are kept at a safe distance for the most part.
But I was lucky enough to witness firsthand how nice it must’ve been to be Colby Cave.

When he was called up to Edmonton for the 2nd time this season (prior to the game in Pittsburgh where he scored), he arrived separately, straight from the AHL, and thus many of his teammates hadn’t seen him yet before he hopped on the bus.

I was struck by the huge welcome he got when he came on board—much more raucous than usual, with Darnell Nurse leading the boisterous greeting. I remember thinking how cool that must’ve felt, getting on that bus, back in the NHL, with your teammates so happy to see you.