His No. 99 jersey was retired by the Edmonton Oilers and raised to the rafters in a moving ceremony at Skyreach Centre before Friday night's season-opening game with the New York Rangers.

	Wayne Gretzky was treated to a hero's welcome in Edmonton Friday as the Oilers retired his number.

The Rangers and Oilers played to a 1-1 tie following the extravagant ceremonies.

In attendance were more than 17,000 screaming, cheering fans including Gretzky's family and ex-teammates.

"I guess it's only fitting that they're parking me (the banner) behind that net," said Gretzky, referring to the area where he was offensively potent.

The simple blue banner bearing Gretzky's name, number and the team's oil drop logo was lifted to the ceiling following an eye-popping light show and video extravaganza highlighted by Gretzky's greatest goals being replayed on the Jumbotron.

The voice of Rod Phillips, longtime Edmonton Oilers public address announcer, cracked and tears flowed as he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, we'll now say these words for the last time ever in the building: Hockey fans, tonight's first star, No. 99 Wayne Gretzky."

The two then hugged.

The crowd gave Gretzky a five-minute standing ovation when he entered in a cloud of dry ice and circled the rink standing on the bed of a slow-moving black pickup.

Flashbulbs popped as players, fans and even the refs saluted Gretzky.

"Thank You For The Memories, Wayne Gretzky,": said one of the many signs in the crowd.

Gretzky then hopped off and was hugged by mentor and former coach Glen Sather, who is now team president.

In his speech, Sather called Gretzky "a great Canadian hero."

Also at center ice were Gretzky's father Walter, mother Phyllis, wife Janet and children Paulina, Ty and Trevor.

Former Oilers Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Dave Semenko unveiled a Wei Luan portrait of Gretzky celebrating a goal.

The festivities began with a song by the rock group the Moffats written specifically for Gretzky.

Gretzky thanked the club and the city's fans, saying "the years here have been nothing but wonderful, nothing but great."

He later told reporters the good times kept him from breaking down, especially after Phillips faltered.

"As emotional as it was, I couldn't help but stand there and smile, thinking over all the wonderful times that I had playing and living here," he said.

He said he accepted his retirement decision the moment he announced it in the spring. "The fact I can't do it (play hockey), it kills me but I've got peace of mind because it was time to move on.

"When I saw that banner go up, there was no turning back."

He said he came home spiritually to Edmonton when he dropped the puck before Game 4 of the Oilers-Dallas Stars playoff series in April.

"That's when I said I'm kind of an Edmonton Oiler again."

The ceremony capped a day of Wayne-adoration that began at noon when 5,000 screaming fans ignored freezing temperatures to jam the City Hall square to say goodbye.

"One more year! One more year!" they chanted to Gretzky.

"They took my skates to the Hall of Fame!" he shouted back. "I don't even have skates!"

The fans began lining up at 7 a.m., shivering under their Gretzky sweaters and Oilers jackets, sporting handmade cardboard signs plastered with hearts and 99s.

Gretzky was joined on stage by Sather, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Edmonton mayor Bill Smith. Gretzky's parents, wife and children sat shivering off to the side.

The crowd gave Gretzky three standing ovations, booed Bettman, shouted "Gretzky for Mayor!" when Smith spoke and cheered when Sather joked that Gretzky "has agreed to come back one more year for the Edmonton Oilers -- and he said `No charge' so it fits into our budget!"

The city hall affair was to officially change the name of the 3-mile expressway that runs past Skyreach -- the site of his four Stanley Cup triumphs -- to Wayne Gretzky Drive.

A bronze statue of him hoisting aloft hockey's Stanley Cup already stands outside the rink. It was erected a decade ago after his trade to the Los Angeles Kings.

It's the second piece of pavement dedicated to No. 99. The Wayne Gretzky Parkway runs through his home town of Brantford, Ontario.

After the city hall ceremony, Gretzky told reporters that the number-retirement brings the curtain down once and for all on his career.

"Once the sweater goes up, it's the official end," said Gretzky, adding, "I still wish I could play. I still wish I could be out there."

The 38-year-old center retired last spring after a 20-year career that featured stops in Edmonton, Los Angeles and St. Louis before reaching the end of the line with the Rangers.

The NHL has already announced his No. 99 will be retired throughout the league, but Edmonton is the first city to send his jersey to the rafters. Los Angeles and New York are expected to follow suit.

Tickets for the game -- priced at $80 and $150 -- were hard to find. On-air auctions and bids in the classified ads saw that price triple and quadruple. Fans came from as far away as Norway. About 39,000 signed up for an Internet and in-person lottery for the remaining 760 walk-up tickets in the 17,099-seat building.

Ex-owner Peter Pocklington, who endured the wrath of Edmontonians after he traded Gretzky to the Kings on Aug. 9, 1988, was not part of the official festivities.

Gretzky, who joined defenseman Al Hamilton as the only Oilers player to have his number retired, is the NHL's career scoring leader.

The holder of 61 league records, he had 894 goals and 1,963 assists for 2,857 points. In 208 career playoff games, he collected 122 goals and 260 assists.

He played one season in the now-defunct World Hockey Association. He scored 46 regular-season goals plus 10 more in the playoffs to give him a combined pro hockey mark of 1,072 -- one more goal than boyhood idol Gordie Howe.

Gretzky will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Nov. 22. The hall's directors have waived the usual three-year waiting period.

He has moved his family back to southern California but has been so busy with endorsement and charity work, he now travels in his own nine-passenger jet.