NHL All-Star Game 2018: Erik Karlsson strolls into skills competition dressed as a pirate

In a forgettable season with the Ottawa Senators, who could blame Erik Karlsson for having a bit of fun?
With Karlsson and the rest of the NHL's All-Stars in Tampa Bay for the league's annual midseason classic, and Gasparilla, a pirate festival (no really, a pirate festival) also being hosted by the city at the same time, Karlsson got into the spirit, getting dressed up and trading his helmet and stick for a hat and sword.

Captain @erikKarlsson65 or Captain Jack Sparrow?

You tell us. pic.twitter.com/XeKCyajNxO
— NHL (@NHL) January 27, 2018

Heck, he even got countryman and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman to get in on the act. (Sweden formed a political movement in 2006, the Pirate Party, which was established to protect an individual's right to privacy. We're pretty sure these are unrelated, though.)

You're the real treasure @erikKarlsson65 & @heds77 . #NHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/NvjVlExVjI
— NHL (@NHL) January 27, 2018

It wasn't all fun-and-games for Karlsson on Saturday, when he was earlier grilled by the media on his future with the Senators, and they're lack of success this season.

He didn't let the question-and-answer session keep him down though, and even took the ice for warmups for the skills competition in that pirate hat.

Erik Karrrrrrrrrlson pic.twitter.com/QDl0yN7wQF
— Sporting News Canada (@sportingnewsca) January 28, 2018