Kempe has a longer contract than Marner at half the rate and has scored 40+ two seasons in a row, Marner is good but for two years I wouldn't do Kempe for Marner straight up.

Nope. Three seasons of Kempe and the possibility of signing him at a figure certainly less than Marner plus at least four more seasons of Vilardi (all of which are guaranteed to be less than Marner) is worth much more to us than two seasons of Marner, whom we almost certainly won't be able to afford to re-sign. The fact that we might be able to bridge Vilardi for a couple of years and then sign him for five or more years after that alone is enough to make him more valuable to us than Marner.

Why is it that only us old guys understand the value of time?

You are going to have to offer more than that to dump Murray. It would likely take a 1st to do it or a high end prospect.