Would the Red Wings be better off going for someone other than Mike Modano?

Most of the focus in the Mike Modano-to-Detroit rumors seems to center around Modano choosing to be a Red Wing (recently we found out he won’t decide until early August). Yet Scott Burnside brings up a good question: would the Red Wings be better off going with a different veteran scorer?

It’s not an issue of whether Modano has the will to lace ‘em up in September or October; but what is his will to play out an entire season? That seemed to be an issue in Dallas the past couple of seasons and explains in part why the Stars made the choice to walk away from a player who has been the face of the franchise for two decades.

If we were Wings GM Ken Holland, we’d take a run at Bill Guerin or Paul Kariya to add veteran scoring punch and give one of their young prospects a shot at centering the third line. Less nostalgic, perhaps, but in the long run, we’re guessing it would be a more productive move with less potential for dressing-room headaches.

There should be no doubt that Modano isn’t the same player he once was, although the same could be said for Guerin and Kariya. Guerin ended up being a great fit alongside Sidney Crosby, but it must be noted that his age-advanced game didn’t translate as well in his most recent trip to the Western Conference as a short time San Jose Shark. Kariya is a small, injury-prone player who was a big bust in St. Louis, but a small contract might make a gamble worthwhile. You could argue that both Kariya and Guerin have a little more in the tank than Modano.

Either way, the Red Wings are clearly an aging team. Do they really need another graybeard in their lineup?

What do you think? Are the Red Wings wasting their time courting Modano? Would they be better off going after him, one of those veterans or another player altogether? Let us know in the comments.