Robert Luongo's Problems Lurking Under the Surface

It is known that Roberto Luongo will overwork himself.  He likes to play every game, every practice, and stop every shot.

Left unchecked, this trait has left Luongo exhausted at the end of the season in both his years as a Canuck.

I thought this was recognized by ownership as a fault in Nonis' management. When the Canucks did nothing at the trade deadline to relieve the pressure on Luongo (and the Sedins) they cost themselves the playoffs.

The situation was understood—or so it seemed.  Sanford wasn't being played down the stretch, and wouldn't be retained.

I noticed that Luongo couldn't watch a peer in net without getting involved with the game. He can't switch off, so he isn't really rested. This is pretty common in sports, and strategies to deal with it are known. Platooning a competitive individual requires addressing that drive, and ensuring that it doesn't interfere in off-days by engaging inappropriately.

Some competitors "play by proxy," and become as involved as if they were playing, with the added frustration of not being able to affect the outcome. This can be avoided by removal of the peer element. If a mentor or student plays, the competitive individual can detach himself, becoming a critical observer. "Switching off" is a key element in rest.

Yet the Canucks have brought back Sanford!  Also, adding the captaincy to Luongo's workload effectively enables him to never take a night off. 

I thought they would keep Schnieder, who would alleviated the problem and had the added value of mentoring the young guy. They still might, as it looks like Sanford isn't all that.

It's early in the season, but outside of the opener, Luongo has looked quite ordinary. If there is burnout, conventional wisdom has it that a fresh start is best for the player.

I don't want that.  But I don't want to watch another Jose Theodore or Felix Potvin situation, either.

Maybe Luongo will play well enough to mask the symptoms again. Maybe it won't matter.

Maybe it's too early to tell.  Maybe it's too late.