The hockey world mourns the passing of Colby Cave, plus the latest on Dylan Larkin, Kevan Miller and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave passed away at age 25, four days following surgery to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain.

Colby Cave. 1994-2020. (Photo via NHL Images)

His passing sparked an outpouring of support and condolences throughout the hockey world. The Oilers and Cave’s former club, the Boston Bruins, offered their commiserations, as did the NHL, the AHL. and his junior club, the Swift Current Broncos. Wayne Gretzky,  Erik Karlsson, and Torey Krug were among those who took to Twitter offering sympathy and support to Cave’s family.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was heartbreaking news. My sincere condolences to Cave’s family, friends, and family. By all accounts, he was an upstanding young man with a strong work ethic. It’s so sad when a young life is ended before it has truly begun.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: The Lightning’s chances to atone for the dissatisfying end to their otherwise dominant 2018-19 campaign could be slipping away if this season is canceled because of the coronavirus.

Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said it would be a huge disappointment. “For what our team has done this year, and how we’ve set ourselves up, the additions that we’ve made, where we were at that point in the season with just a handful of games left and trying to gear up for a long playoff run and a successful playoff run, you just hope and you pray that there’s some scenario out there where we can somehow finish.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s easy to say they’ll get another shot next season, but the Lightning might not be the same club by then. Limited salary-cap space means they’ll have to shed a player or two (Alex Killorn, perhaps?) in order to re-sign Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergachev. Unrestricted free agents like Patrick Maroon and Kevin Shattenkirk probably won’t be back. Those moves could adversely affect their overall chemistry and depth.

DETROIT FREE PRESS: Red Wings center Dylan Larkin and his family donated 50,000 vinyl powder-free and nitrile gloves to the Detroit Medical Center and St Joseph Mercy Medical Group.

BOSTON GLOBE: Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller encountered some setbacks during his rehab of his twice-broken kneecap. An unrestricted free agent at the end of his season, his future with the Bruins is in doubt.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward Nikolay Goldobin has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. He explained the Canucks didn’t want to re-sign him but hopes to return to the NHL in two-years time.