Image: Jill Johnson, Paul Skipper/JPI

A new Days storyline could alter the canvas.

Rumors are swirling about a serial killer storyline on Days of our Lives which could trim the cast of the NBC soap. Who could be expendable enough to succumb to the latest attack in Salem? Soaps.com has the following ideas about the rumored storyline kicking off in May.

We know Tyler Christopher is leaving Days of our Lives, but Brandon Barash has been recast as the polarizing DiMera. Even though it was announced Barash had been hired as a permanent replacement, would they dare kill him off? Maybe, as the audience hasn’t exactly warmed up to Stefan, especially after he raped Abigail Deveraux (then played by Marci Miller, currently by Kate Mansi) by having sex with her alter Gabby. He also has no real connection to anyone else in town. However, he is moving on from his Gabby obsession and there is the rumor that he will marry Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus). Maybe Barash will breathe different life into the character the viewers could be more interested in. He’s still high up on our victim list though.

Another controversial character, Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart), could be on the chopping block as well. The opportunistic schemer who blackmailed Sonny into marrying him, thus impeding a full WilSon (Chandler Massey, Freddie Smith) reunion, might not be missed by many, but he is getting a backstory. That will come in the form of Judith Chapman who has been cast as Leo’s mother. Since she will be playing John Black’s (Drake Hogestyn) former flame, Diana Colville, some are speculating Leo could be John’s son. Would they go through all that just to kill him off?

Then there’s Chloe Lane (Nadia Bjorlin) who has done little more than serve as a sounding board for her fellow Salemites. Sure, she was embroiled in the Holly custody battle, but now that it’s over and with Arianne Zucker reprising her role of Nicole, a.k.a. Holly’s mother, she might not have any storyline left to stick around for.

Other possible victims could include Rex Brady (Kyle Lowder), who was brought back after years only to be turned into an unsympathetic cad; and Tripp Dalton (Lucas Adams) and Claire Brady (Olivia Rose Keegan) who are moving towards a romance, but aren’t driving much story. However, all three are part of legacy families so they could be spared, especially since they are all currently in messy triangles and quadrangles. But their deaths could also have more of an impact considering their deep ties to the canvas. It’s anyone’s guess with these three.

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What do you think? Is a serial killer coming to whittle down the Days of our Lives cast? Who do you think will fall prey? Tell us your thoughts below.