The Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin skates against the Flyers on April 2 in Philadelphia. (AP file photo)

NHL teams committed more than $862 million in salary to 102 players on the first day of free agency, not counting entry-level or minor-league contracts.

Chicago signed Bowen Byram to the biggest contract at $75 million, making him the highest-paid defenseman in the league at $12.5 million a year, at least for now. Philadelphia spent the most at just under $90 million, though like the Byram deal much of that does not go into effect until the 2027-28 season.

Some of that money will be well spent, and other dollars will be regretted for years to come.

Here’s a look at the early returns on offseason winners and losers in trades and free agency:

Losers

DETROIT RED WINGS — Detroit has not made the playoffs since 2016, now the NHL’s longest drought. And there is lingering uncertainty with captain Dylan Larkin wanting out. The Red Wings’ muddled path forward was evident Wednesday with the signing of Viktor Arvidsson and trade pickup of Keegan Kolesar representing their most notable additions. GM Steve Yzerman has the leverage of time in waiting for the best offer for Larkin. And yet the situation has the potential of becoming a bigger distraction and handcuffing Yzerman from building the roster further.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS — Hindsight might reveal the Flyers were smart in not spending big on assets and salary cap space to get Nurse, John Carlson (who signed with Tampa Bay) or Byram. But their biggest need was a No. 1 defenseman who could run the top power play unit, and that remains a giant void. GM Daniel Briere did make a big move for years down the road by locking up Tyson Foerster for almost the next decade.

Winners

NEW YORK RANGERS — Fundamentals-first coach Mike Sullivan should be happy because his blue line got better even if No. 5 pick Alberts Smits needs another year to make the leap. General manager Chris Drury acquired defensemen Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson in separate trades. Trading Vincent Trocheck to Utah opens a hole at center, but the addition of winger Pavel Dorofeyev makes up for that talent deficiency.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS — New GM John Chayka acknowledged: “We did a lot of buying and selling over the last month. And at times maybe it didn’t make a lot of sense in terms of the individual moves. But as we thought about kind of the bigger picture and what we’re trying to create, it all kind of lined up for us.” It’s hard to argue with remaking the roster by adding goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, defensemen Darren Raddysh and Emil Andrae, and forwards Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Jack Roslovic, Brandon Duhaime and Teddy Bleuger. All of this is for new head coach Jim Hiller, a member of the 1991 Northern Michigan University national championship team.

SAN JOSE SHARKS — Mike Grier got immediate help by trading for veteran players Darnell Nurse and signing Mason Marchment and Jacob Trouba. He also stocked the cupboard of high-end-potential prospects by drafting Ivar Stenberg and two others in the first round.

FLORIDA PANTHERS — Even losing Bobrovsky, the 2024 and ’25 Cup champions added Brady Tkachuk to play with brother Matthew, brought back Radko Gudas and extended Eetu Luostarinen.

Jury’s out

BUFFALO SABRES — The Sabres lost more proven talent than they brought in during the past two weeks, trading Byram to the Blackhawks and Alex Tuch to Washington. Landing defensive prospect Daxon Rudolph with the fourth pick in exchange for Byram helps down the road, as do the acquisitions of promising young blue liners Olen Zellweger and Louis Crevier. Buffalo has so far struck out in trade talks to get Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck this summer.

DALLAS STARS — This all depends on what happens with Jason Robertson, a restricted free agent in need of a new contract and one that could exceed $100 million. Jim Nill traded Mavrik Bourque to Nashville for picks and cleared cap space by including Ilya Lyubushkin in that deal.

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