The argument that this is just a exhibition sounds kinda weak to me. Maybe some think differently but if I was a member of these teams I would be damn proud for winning this tournament. It would most certainly be a bigger honor and achievement than winning the World Championships no doubt, even the Olympics. To me what makes a tournament the best is the level of competition not something else and this is where the World Cup is better than any other tournament in the history of the sport.
Also as a fan of a participating country I would relish a Finland victory, which I do not believe will happen, far more that any of the Olympic bronzes, silvers or Worlds medals. I was freaking gasping for air in the elimination games at the last World Cup in 2004. Even if we pretend that Finland would not participate in the tournament if the WC would consist of say only 4 national teams and team Europe and North America, as a fan of hockey in general I would be pretty damn pleased of the level of hockey I was witnessing.
Why do people think that this is not an international tournament, because it is organized by the NHL? Why should anyone really give a damn who organised it, I know I dont. Did you also think that the Canada Cup and all previous World Cups were a second class tournaments?
I think that once the games start people will realize how damn cool the whole thing is and watch the games, I know I will