PAUSECAST: Nathan Bastian and Michael McLeod Join our Podcast

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For the fifth episode of the Devils Official Pausecast, our guests are Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian.

McLeod and Bastian discussed how they're doing during the season pause and how they're staying in shape.

"They've been pretty good," said Mike McLeod. "I've just been hanging out in my house in Mississauga, got my brothers here. I guess that makes it a lot better, we can hang out, do things outside in our backyard together, and go on rollerblades together."

"I'm just trying to stay busy, we're used to being out, socializing and doing stuff all the time, so it different, a big change for everyone," said Bastian. "I've been sitting around doing a lot of nothing, but trying to stay in shape, like Mike getting outside and that. I've had a lot of family time as a result of it. This may never happen again so I guess, I'm making the most of it."

Both players have turned to video games and shows on Netflix to help pass the time as well.

"I like to stay outside during the day, and then take a few hours and go upstairs and play Xbox. I play NHL, I play GTA a lot. I never was never really big into Fortnite or call of duty, just because I'm terrible at [those] game. I can never aim quick enough," said McLeod. "Watching Netflix, I watched the new Michael Jordan show, so I've been doing that."

"I'm pretty open to anything on Xbox," said Bastian. "During the season we get a lot of down time too so Xbox has always been a part of my daily routine, whatever the boys are playing. I like Call of Duty and a lot of PGA lately, we can't golf outside we've been golfing inside on the sticks. As far as Netflix goes, I've been pretty much every night a couple episodes of whatever. I did Tiger King, I re-did all of Prison Break again. I'm on another one of those dumb reality TV shows, Too Hot to Handle right now, which is pretty funny."

McLeod and Bastian talked about living together last year and Bastian getting the first pick for rooms in their place.

"Usually when we're picking rooms, Nate gets the first pick. Our house last year, he had a double king for his bed and I could barely fit [a bed]," joked McLeod. "So it's ultimately what Nate doesn't want."

"I kind of take over and am the coordinator as far as finding our house goes. I put all the work in, I get us the best deal, and then as a result I get to pick the best room," explained Bastian on the rooming situation. "So if Mike wants to do that next year I'll let him take the reins."

Both forwards discussed the turnaround in Binghamton this season, where the team rebounded from a slower first half of the season. The Devils were 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 games before the season was suspended due to COVID-19.

"The start of it was the Hall trade, getting a couple big pieces," said Bastian. "Going through the year, the first half, we would have games where our power play was really good and our penalty kill was really bad and then the next would be the opposite. It was just a matter of stringing some good games together and all playing well at the same time. And then I think things started clicking."

"The first half, until Christmas was kind of the same as last year, losing too many games in a row, and some games we shouldn't have lost," said McLeod. "And then once Christmas hit, we made some changes, and at one point, we would always be down by a few goals going into the third, and you could just tell in the room that no one was panicking. Then, we ended up winning each of those games. I think it was more of a belief than anything, guys wanted to win and they weren't just there for themselves. I think that was huge for us."

Nathan Bastian also brought up why most of the Binghamton Devils put Mike McLeod as the worst driver on their player questionnaires.

"One time he did run out of gas though, that's gotta count for something," laughed Bastian.

McLeod went on to explain the story that has put him at the top of the list for 'worst driver.'

"The corner around the rink, I was with Nate and my car just completely stops moving," explained McLeod. "Everyone's driving past me like nothings wrong and then [Brett] Seney finally pulls aside and then takes the gas station right there and fills it up and it was just a long process that could have been avoided by me putting gas in my car."