He is an NHL rookie, those that insist he's not are not being realistic. The league he played in in Europe is comparable, in many ways, to the AHL and players that come up from that path are rookies. The fact that he played in a different developmental program should in no way effect his rookie status.
The play to Leo was very nice, he put that puck out there so softly it had to be in exactly the right spot. Pretty funny when Leo patted Niskanen? On the shoulder too.