There can be common ground found in suffering. Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers are supremely wealthy Original Six franchises that have slumped to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, despite their abundant resources. With both teams looking to sell ahead of Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline, the on-ice proceedings almost operated as a distraction. There’s a professional standard to be maintained, and the Maple Leafs collapsed during the third period, surrendering in a 6-2 loss to the lowly Rangers.

A keen reminder from our colleague Nick Alberga: Toronto’s last regulation win took place on February 3.

It’s a footnote now, but the Maple Leafs and Rangers entered the third period tied at 2. And then, the Maple Leafs collapsed against a Rangers side that sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. It may represent a new low amid what’s been a nightmare season.

Mika Zibanejad corralled a careless turnover from Nick Robertson at the blue line, then fired the puck on net, where Alexis Lafreniere expertly deflected it for a 3-2 Rangers lead. Four minutes later, Morgan Rielly head-manned the puck to Dakota Joshua, only that Joshua fumbled the routine pass, and the Rangers raced up the ice on the counterattack. Jaroslav Chlemar fended off Jake McCabe (whose costly turnover directly led to New York’s first goal) and tucked the puck past Joseph Woll for his 1st NHL goal. It was 4-2 Rangers, and during a game where the Maple Leafs controlled the run of play, it was unacceptable. Even if you want the Maple Leafs to tank, there still needs to be some baseline professional standards.

Lafrenire ended up with a three-point third period, setting up Mika Zibanejad on a tic-tac-toe passing sequence, giving the Rangers a 5-2 lead. The defensive zone coverage was equally brutal, with Auston Matthews going for an ill-timed line change.

Against a lottery-bound Rangers team, the Maple Leafs were afforded every opportunity for an easy win. Instead, a common theme of the year reared its ugly head once again, as the Maple Leafs collapsed down the stretch.

Matias Maccelli was placed on the first line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, and immediately made the most of the opportunity. Maccelli scored 13 seconds into the contest, converting on an incisive feed from Nylander. The winger was engaged in puck battles, and was perhaps overaggressive at times, taking a slashing penalty shortly after his goal.

Maccelli scored for the second consecutive game, and he poses an interesting case for the Maple Leafs. While the team is looking to re-tool ahead of Friday’s deadline, Maccelli is still just 25 years old and could be a useful player for a team that is transitioning out of its contention window. He’s a good playmaker and a streaky scorer that could have real value for a contender, but Maccelli’s age and skill set could be useful as the Maple Leafs reassess their roster.

Maccelli-Matthews-Nylander outshot opponents 11-3 with a 57 percent share of the expected goals at 5-on-5. As the Maple Leafs shake up the roster for the duration of the year, this could be a permanent combination following Friday’s deadline.

Although Craig Berube appears to be reluctant to embrace the youth movement, he may have no choice after Friday afternoon. Easton Cowan scored during the second period, while placed on a line with Matthew Knies and John Tavares. Cowan worked well off Knies throughout the contest, and deposited a long-range shot past Igor Shesterkin to give the Leafs a 2-1 lead.

Cowan was effective at retaining possession, he won board battles, and he played with confidence in the top-six, finishing with a 56 percent share of the expected goals at 5-on-5. Toronto will need to prioritize Cowan for the remainder of the season, and his high-end skill set was on display, even as the Maple Leafs slumped through the third period.

Jacob Quillan was recalled from the Toronto Marlies, after Nicolas Roy was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Quillan wasn’t nearly as impactful, but his speed and competitiveness are traits that Craig Berube has highlighted throughout the season. With several players potentially on the move, Cowan and Quillan get extended looks, and they could be joined by Luke Haymes, who is showing real scoring touch at the AHL level.