Patrick McNally talks to media at the Canucks prospects camp at Rogers Arena on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann , PNG

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks have a decision to make on collegiate defenceman Patrick McNally and apparently they are still thinking about it.

McNally, selected by Vancouver in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2010 draft, must be signed by Aug. 15 or he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

The 23-year-old recently finished his collegiate career at Harvard University, where he demonstrated the offensive skills that convinced then Canucks general manager Mike Gillis to select him.

McNally, who is listed as 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, had six goals and 21 points in 21 games with Harvard this past season, which was interrupted by a serious knee injury in January. McNally returned in late March to help Harvard win its conference championship. The Crimson were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tourney.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning said this week he did not want to comment on McNally, but acknowledged the team has a decision to make.

“We have talked about it, but we haven’t decided what direction we are going to go in yet,” Benning said. “That’s why I really don’t want to comment on it. I want to talk to the agent next week. We are undecided on him right now.”

Benning would not comment further, but it’s safe to say the Canucks likely have the same concerns others have expressed about McNally -- that while he is offensively gifted, he is at times challenged in his own end.

While he did not draft him, Benning saw McNally play lots of games during his time with the Boston Bruins.

McNally’s agent, Matt Keator, did not return messages.

CALL OF THE NORTH: The Canucks are expected to announce Wednesday morning that their September training camp will be held at the CN Centre in Prince George.

Trevor Linden, the team’s president of hockey operations, is scheduled to appear at a Prince George news conference at 10:30 am.

The Canucks held last year’s camp in Whistler and in their history have scheduled camps in several B.C. cities. This would be their first training camp in northern B.C.

The CN Centre is a 5,964-seat facility that is home to the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars. Vancouver defenceman Dan Hamhuis, who played his junior hockey in Prince George, is a minority owner of the Cougars.

SEVENTH HEAVEN: The Canucks AHL farm team in Utica faces its second win-or-go-home game of the AHL playoffs Wednesday night. The Comets meet the Oklahoma City Barons, who forced a seventh and deciding game with a 2-1 win in Utica on Monday night.

Canucks prospect Jake Virtanen made his pro debut in that game and is expected to play again Wednesday night as injured winger Carter Bancks is not expected to be ready to play.

Virtanen, selected sixth overall by the Canucks in last summer’s draft, had two shots in Monday night’s game and played on a line with Hunter Shinkaruk and Mike Zalewski. He and fellow Canucks 2014 first-round pick Jared McCann joined the Comets earlier this month.

The winner of Wednesday night’s game meets the Grand Rapids Griffins in the Western Conference final. The Comets won their best-of-five opening-round playoff series against the Chicago Wolves in five games.

bziemer@vancouversun.com;l twitter.com/bradziemer