They should have dropped bread crumbs

If you need directions from Prague Castle to the team hotel, do NOT ask Lightning coach Barry Melrose or goaltenders coach Cap Raeder. Seems the two went for a walk from the hotel to the Castle and got lost coming back.

What should have been a one-hour round trip took more than two, Melrose said.

I actually made that walk this morning through some of the neatest neighborhoods in the city. Past several squares and a market set up in an area that they say has held a market continually for about 600 years. The Charles Bridge, built in the 1300s and looking big and strong as if it could stand forever leads to the castle and the steps onto the grounds are steep and can make your legs ache if you're not used to the climb.The payoff is at the top and can look out over the entire city. On a cool, windy day with low gray clouds, it was a picture I won't soon forget. Had to get back to the team hotel for a couple of quick interviews, so I took the subway, which was clean and easy to figure out. A ticket good for 20 minutes (you must validate your tickets before entering the subway, though no one seems to be checking) was 18 Czech crowns or about $1.

And David Koci was right. The Prague native and Lightning enforcer described last week his city as "like a little story." I thought at the time he meant to say like a picture. But looking over the city, his description was right, though it actually seemed like something from a story book.

Anyway, back to Melrose and Raeder. Seems they found a cigar shop on the way back, and stopped in to buy some Cubans (for you Seinfeld fans, the cigars, not the people).

"We started walking back and got totally lost," Melrose said. "People said, 'Why didn't you just jump in a cab?' Well, it became a matter of pride. You've got two guys of reasonable intelligence. Surely, we can find a hotel."

They found it, but Raeder said they had to stop first and get a map.

"We saw a lot of the city," Melrose said. "It was good."

Comments

[Ken Carpenter]

You've got to like coaches who, when in a tough situation, take time to smoke a fine a cigar and continue a leisurely stroll.

The previous coach would have been cussing out every Czech in town while berating the designers of centuries-old street plan.

(And people, PLEASE stop moaning about Boyle!)

[Gareth]

You've seen one game, streamed online, and your mailing in the Defense? You sir, are hilarious.

[Geografer]

Maybe they could buy a map to San Jose and undo what has now been shown was an awful deal this summer. Why not offer Carle, Wishart, the draft pick back and throw in a couple of those extra forwards - you can start with Vrbata to BRING BACK BOYLE. The defense is a joke at this point - something needs to be done.