Lord Stanley to set sail with pirates for Gasparilla

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Ahoy Matey! It's Lord Stanley as you've never seen it before. 

"You know as everybody knows, water safety is very important. For a 125-year-old trophy, we have to make sure it's secure," explained the Keeper of the Cup, Philip Pritchard.

Saturday, the Stanley Cup will wear a life jacket because it will be aboard the ship alongside the pirates of Gasparilla.

"You know what? Lord Stanley has been on a lot of trips," said Pritchard. "It's been a lot of places around the world, but it's going to visit it's first pirate ship tomorrow!" 

After an appearance on Clearwater Beach, Pritchard and the Stanley Cup will fly into Tampa Bay as the pirates prepare to invade the city. Jose Gaspar will be waiting.

"We're going to take a helicopter from the beach right to where the ship launches," explained Pritchard. "Then it's going to come into land for the Key Ceremony and then straight to Pregame."

"There's no better way to come into Tampa Bay, than by water." 

The cannons will be firing, and Pritchard will keep a watchful eye on those pirates lurking around hockey's biggest treasure. 

"It's funny, we've spoken to some of the pirates," he said. "They're big hockey fans, they get what it represents. They get the tradition in that." 

Lord Stanley will be guarded and secured, should the pirates get a little salty.

"The Cup can't walk the plank, I've never seen it walk before, so I don't have any worries there," said Pritchard. 

It's been all around the world, to the White House and was hoisted in our backyard years ago. But, Saturday, the Stanley Cup sets sail with the Jose Gaspar and his crew of buccaneers, with a life jacket and maybe, a bit of a disguise, too. 

"Does it get an eye patch?"

"I'm not sure. We'll find a spot for it!" exclaimed Pritchard.

The Stanley Cup will be on display all weekend long as a part of the NHL All-Star weekend. Here's how you can check it out: 

2018 NHL All-Star PreGame - AMALIE Arena’s Silver Parking Lot & Cotanchobee Park, 401 Channelside Drive Tampa, FL 33602

-Friday 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
-Saturday 2 p.m.-11 p.m.
-Sunday 12 p.m.-3:30 p.m.