In hockey, a sport whose arena sound systems blare “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” a competitive edge may be found in a lullaby.

Like other major professional teams, N.H.L. franchises are paying closer attention to the quality and quantity of their players’ sleep across a grueling 82-game schedule. It is particularly demanding for some Western Conference teams, which can log upward of 50,000 miles in the air each season.

“Over all, there is growing interest in sleep from teams across all the leagues as proper sleep is frequently sacrificed and overlooked,” said Cheri Mah, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. “However, it can have a significant impact on peak performance and overall health. In my opinion, it is one of the most untapped areas of sports performance.”

Mah has worked closely with the San Jose Sharks, who had the best road record in the N.H.L. this season, and the Golden State Warriors, who followed a victory in the N.B.A. finals last year by winning a record 73 regular-season games.