Minnesota Wild defenseman Nick Schultz put on shoulder pads he bought for $200 at a local store. Goaltender Niklas Backstrom wore a catching glove with burn marks across it and backup Josh Harding had an old facemask with the wrong number.

After a van fire reduced much of the team’s equipment to ruins Friday in an Ottawa parking lot, assistant equipment managers Brent Proulx and Matt Benz flew back to Minneapolis to scrounge together backups. Head equipment manager Tony DaCosta remained in Ottawa to assess the damage and salvage what he could.

I really, really wish this story would have just focused on the issue of how much of a pain in the ass it is to break in new equipment. I have flat feet and remember having to drop to both knees between drills during practice when I broke in my last pair of skates, then having to get the insoles shaved down by the skate sharper a few different times for relief. So I can sympathize with these guys.

But my sympathy ends when a player like Nick Schultz — who signed a six-year, $21 million contract in 2008 — complains about having to spend $200 on a new pair of shoulder pads at the local pro shop. You hope you’ll get reimbursed? Cry me a fucking river.

I don’t see these guys thinking twice about breaking a $150 or $200 stick over the crossbar or post if they get scored on (or their goalie’s face when they’re being extra careless).