The longtime Oilers teammate Wayne Gretzky rejoined when he signed with the New York Rangers in 1996 was Mark Messier.
Gretzky and Messier had been central figures in the Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s. Together, they helped Edmonton win four Stanley Cups in five seasons, and their partnership made Messier one of the most important teammates of Gretzky’s career. Gretzky left Edmonton for Los Angeles in 1988, while Messier remained with the Oilers until his 1991 trade to New York.
After the 1995–96 season, Gretzky became a free agent following a short stint with the St. Louis Blues. He signed a two-year contract with the Rangers on July 21, 1996, partly because he wanted to play with Messier again. The reunion lasted one season because Messier left for Vancouver afterward, but the pair helped New York reach the 1997 Eastern Conference Final. Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey and Jari Kurri were also notable Oilers teammates, but Messier is the answer to this question.