In my experience, the idea of low-ceiling, high-floor players is pretty much a myth.
Since I've been following the draft, here's a general list of two-way forwards drafted in the top 2 rounds that I recall having been characterised as guys with lower ceilings but a high likelihood of playing in the NHL in a bottom 6 role:
Anton Gustafsson (2008)
Viktor Tihkonov (2008)
Philip McRae (2008)
Jared Staal (2008)
Patrice Cormier (2008)
Jimmy Hayes (2008)
Zack Kassian (2009)
Phillip Paradis (2009)
Carter Ashton (2009)
Landon Ferraro (2009)
Ryan O'Reilly (2009)
Carl Klingberg (2009)
Chris Brown (2009)
Jakob Silfverberg (2009)
Anton Lander (2009)
Kenny Ryan (2009)
Austin Watson (2010)
Riley Sheahan (2010)
Quinton Howden (2010)
Tyler Pitlick (2010)
Tyler Biggs (2011)
Philip Danault (2011)
Boone Jenner (2011)
Brett Ritchie (2011)
Johan Sundstrom (2011)
Alexander Ruutu (2011)
Mikko Salimaki (2011)
Tom Wilson (2012)
Scott Laughton (2012)
Stefan Matteau (2012)
Lukas Sutter (2012)
Colton Scissons (2012)
Curtis Lazar (2013)
Frederik Gauthier (2013)
Michael McCarron (2013)
Marko Dano (2013)
Ryan Hartman (2013)
Jacob De La Rose (2013)
Remi Elie (2013)
Zach Nastasiuk (2013)
Conner Bleackley (2014)
Adrian Kempe (2014)
John Quenneville (2014)
Brendan Lemieux (2014)
Noah Rod (2014)
Hunter Smith (2014)
(I'll leave the last 3 draft years out of it for now to give them more time to develop before passing judgement)
Despite supposedly giving up potential for safety by drafting these players, most of them ended up busting anyways. The majority of those who didn't bust failed to meet their low ceilings and ended up as replaceable bottom 6 forwards (bad return on a 1st/2nd round pick). Only a couple (O'Reilly, Silfverberg, Jenner) actually exceeded expectations and became better players than anyone thought they had the potential to become.
Moral of the story: low-ceiling, high-floor players are often low-ceiling, low-floor players
Hopefully the Sens scouting staff thinks Bowers has higher potential than HFSens does.
Which is why I am not a fan of these kind of picks in the 1st.
I have no doubts that Bowers is going to be an NHL player, which I'm not going to say unless I am confident. I don't think he will ever be a top 6 player, but I do see him as an everyday NHLer.
He's extremely focused, and understands his limitations, even as a 15 year old. He knows what he needs to do to be successful, and he will work at it until he is. I am not a fan of the pick due to my own views on drafting in the 1st/2nd, but I am a fan of Bowers as a hockey player in general.
This isn't Lazar, Bowers can read plays and understands what's developing around him. Let's hope he can develop a bit more offense (he has shown this type of ability at a younger, lower level).
All in all, not my 1st choice, but given this draft and the guys available, I 100% understand the pick.
I have a feeling that we will be spending a lot of time in the Maritime Division again this season. (5) 1st round talents (Velano, McIsaac, Groulx, Dobson, Zadina) playing on the Maritime teams, and Khovanov may still suit up with Moncton, and 3 guys born in the Maritimes (McDonald, McIsaac, Dobson) all likely going to go in the 1st round.
If I were a betting man, I would wager quite a bit that both Noah Dobson and Anderson McDonald are already on the Sens preseason short list. I'd wager even more we make multiple selections from the Q in 2018. It's an absolutely stacked year in both top talents and depth.