I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Smyth was not great off the rush. Not cerebral enough. I could just see Smitty stepping one stride across the blue line and letting a weak clapper go while McDavid is exploding into open ice looking for the return pass.
In 9 years of his prime he broke 30 assists every season but once, and that one season he had 23 in 55. You don't do that being a poor passer. Understand half his career was also spent in the dead puck era where scoring was way down, yet he put up quality numbers many many times, often despite injury. The clapper stands out because it was kind of funny, not powerful and very few did it, but it actually wasn't something he did that often. He wasn't a one on one guy so he'd really only do it when he was alone gaining the zone. Pucks on net is rarely a bad play when nothing else is really there as linemates lagging behind or covered gain an opportunity to rush the net for loose pucks and sometimes he'd even get lucky and pot one. In fact I think the clapper shot would be somewhat effective with McDavid as getting pucks on net and behind the D would let McDavid use his superior speed to get to it.
Given the speed of the game you can't play and succeed with great players at the NHL level having poor hockey sense, especially given the fact he didn't have great wheels or hands (although his skill was very underrated). Many linemates either broke out or had career years beside him, including a terrific puck carrier in Hemsky who I'd say is much like a winger version of McDavid (great hands, speed, vision), and another elite Center in Kopitar. I'd also suggest McDavid doesn't need guys to help him that much on the rush, rather he needs a guy who can facilitate the rush by winning the puck on his boards and making a strong solid pass to him as he gets going through the neutral zone, which Smyth was great at. So I'd counter that coming out of his own zone his skillset would give McDavid many opportunities to succeed on the rush with his board work, and in the zone his board work could really help down low on puck retrieval. McDavid doesn't need to play with a guy who's going to be great on the rush, he needs a guy who facilitates the opportunities, can finish, and can retrieve pucks and that's what Smyth did at an elite level. That's why Maroon was a good fit and to the contrary is why Hall wasn't despite being a guy who's bread and butter is the rush.
No question McDavids other winger would ideally be a guy who can finish off the rush, but that guy is also better served being a RW given McDavid's a left shot. Draisaitl was so good with him because he could be the guy who springs him coming out of the zone, especially on the LW with him, and when on the RW he could be that guy who helps finish on the rush because of his great shot. But we aren't talking about the ideal LW and RW, we're talking about just one ideal winger. That's why I said Kurri would be the other ideal winger, a right shot sniper who can help down low in his own zone. Smyth was also capable of being effective on the back check and down low BTW, another ideal skill set.
I just don't get how an "un-cerebral" player could have had his track record of success while being trusted by coaches in all situations despite a lack of great skill. The fact he got so much out of his skillset to me screams excellent hockey sense, the fact that his linemates consistently had great seasons with him screams great hockey sense as the adaptibility and ability to play a game that suits them is a hall mark of hockey IQ. It didn't always look pretty but he consistently made the right play. Playing a smart, simple, and determined game with the hockey sense to get the most out of his skillset and those around him is why he's a legend. The player I often hear described couldn't have played above a 3rd or 4th line, yet most of it was spent in the top 6 and he made 2 best on best team Canada's. Great hockey sense isn't highlighted by great plays off the rush, it's highlighted by an ability to get the most out of yourself, a variety of linemates, and succeeding in a variety of situations. Smyth did all that.
I'll ask you this, if Smyth had poor IQ and was lacking great skill then why did he score so effectively? Why did he make best on best team Canada's, including the World Cup where his linemate in Lecavalier won MVP? Why did coaches trust him in all situations, including the odd fill in at center? Why did he play 1270 games and score 842 points with much of his career being in the dead puck era, including 805 points in 1100 games of his prime (I eliminated his first and final 2 seasons)? I'd say the guy people remember Smyth being is far less than what he actually was and the facts all suggest it.