DETROIT -- Mike Modano was seriously contemplating retirement after 20 years with the Dallas Stars organization, but the Detroit Red Wings would not let him skate off into the sunset without a brief stop back home.

The Red Wings were aggressive and persuasive in their pursuit of the Westland native, and he simply couldn’t say no.

“I had a lot of time to go over (his decision), if I wanted to retire,’’ Modano said Thursday night from his home in Dallas. “Mike (coach Babcock), Ken (general manager Holland) and the Ilitches (team owners) sold it hard. They thought it would rejuvenate me, get me excited to play with a team like that.

“I’m looking forward to it. Look at their lineup, you can’t help but be excited about that.’’

The Red Wings signed Modano to a one-year, $1.25 million contract and will introduce him at a news conference Friday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena.

Modano, the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history, said he will wear No. 90. No. 9, which he wore in Dallas, was Gordie Howe’s number in Detroit, where it is retired.

Holland said the club made a “full-court press’’ to sign Modano since he became a free agent July 1, shortly after the Stars announced they would not re-sign him. They enlisted former and current Wings, including Brett Hull, Chris Chelios and Todd Bertuzzi, to help with the recruitment.

“I didn’t talk to anyone who had anything bad to say about Detroit -- all were positive,’’ Modano said. “Brett’s been in a couple of places. I’ve known Chris for a long time. Bert loves it there.’’

It also helped that Modano’s parents, Mike and Karen, live in Westland.

“The moment I called them and told them Detroit was interested, they said they weren’t going to believe it until it happened,’’ Modano said. “They crossed their fingers and hoped it would. Now, they can see me every home game.’’

Holland called Modano “a great fit.’’

“He left home and had an incredible career, and as fate would have it, he’s coming back home to finish his career,’’ Holland said.

The 40-year-old Modano increases the average age of a team often criticized for being too old. But age does not faze the Red Wings, who have had tremendously good fortune with older players.

The list of future Hall of Famers and other big-name players who came to Detroit and were revitalized includes Chelios, Hull, Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Larry Murphy, Mark Howe, Dominik Hasek and Luc Robitaille.

Some were at the top of their game, others were nearing the end. The Red Wings believed these players still had something to give, and they got the most out of them.

“Most of the older players we’ve had were superstars in their day and in their prime were so much better than everybody else,’’ Holland said. “They may not be as dominant, but their skills relative to other players are still very good.

“Because we’ve been able to roll four lines and play six (defensemen) we’re not counting on them to do the heavy lifting. We’re not bringing Mike Modano in to lead the offense, we want him to be a support guy.’’

Modano upgrades their skill level with his skating, playmaking and shooting abilities.

The Red Wings plan to have him center the third line with Dan Cleary and Jiri Hudler, at least at the start of the season. He also can play the point on the second power-play unit.

Modano had 14 goals and 16 assists in 59 games last season. The eight-time NHL All-Star and three-time U.S. Olympian has accumulated 557 goals and 802 assists in 1,459 career games.

The opportunity to win his second Stanley Cup (he won the Cup with the Stars in 1999) was enticing.

“In most cases, (older players the club has signed) accepted their role,’’ Holland said. “They got their stats, their personal successes. We’ve had good teams and they want to win.’’

Holland believes Modano will fit in well in the dressing room.

“We got a great locker room. It’s a group of players that like one another,’’ Holland said. “They work hard, have fun. They’re a confident group, but not a lot of egos. They sacrifice money and ice time to be part of the team.’’

In addition to his base salary, Modano can earn up to $500,000 in bonuses, which can be applied to the 2011-12 salary cap.

And this might not be his final season.

“Maybe it’s a relationship that goes on beyond this year,’’ Holland said. “We’re hoping he gets excited and wants to play next year. But we’ll address that at the end of the season.’’

Modano said he’s taking it “one year at time’’ but added, “If it’s anything close to what they’re describing, who knows how long it’s going to be. It will be tough to walk away from it. I’ll probably go through this whole thing again next year.’’

The Red Wings have 23 players signed for roughly $58.2 million, leaving them about $1.2 million under the $59.4 million salary cap.

They have one more player to sign, restricted free-agent center Justin Abdelkader. Holland said he expects that deal to be completed soon.

Abdelkader’s cap hit likely will be in the $800,000 range. And they would like to keep a cushion of about $500,000 to $700,000 to recall a player from the Grand Rapids Griffins in case short-term injuries leave them short of a full lineup.

Once Abdelkader is signed, they will be one player over the limit. They will trade or waive a forward, possibly Mattias Ritola, before the start of the season. They also will move defenseman Derek Meech if he does not crack their top six after training camp and the preseason.

Holland will continue to pursue a low-priced No. 6 defenseman but is content to start the season with what he has (Jakub Kindl, Doug Janik, Brendan Smith and Meech competing for the spot).