SUNRISE, Fla. – After traveling for more than 30 hours from Sweden to Buffalo, Tim Kennedy was ready to restart his life in Rochester. It almost didn’t happen because of a waiver claim.

But after Sabres General Manager Tim Murray worked out a deal, Kennedy took the ice with the Amerks on Monday. He’s looking forward to being part of the Sabres’ organization again.

“I’m just really happy to be back in Rochester,” Kennedy told the Amerks’ website. “I’m just going to come in and try to help the team win.”

Kennedy, who played parts of two seasons with the Sabres, has led a gypsy life since getting bought out by ex-Buffalo GM Darcy Regier in 2010. The 30-year-old has gone from Connecticut to Florida to Rochester to Texas to Massachusetts to San Jose to Phoenix to Maine to Pennsylvania to Russia to Finland to Sweden. He started this season with Lulea of the Swedish Hockey League, recording two goals and two assists in 18 games, but the sides terminated the contract Thursday.

Buffalo signed Kennedy to a minor-league deal Saturday, but he needed to go through waivers because he started the season in Europe. Carolina’s American Hockey League affiliate in Charlotte claimed the center.